05/22/13 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record on Azerbaijan - Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan in general, and the Azerbaijani community of San Diego in particular, on the 95th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

On May 28, 1918, Azerbaijan declared its independence and established the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. The first-ever parliamentary democracy in the Muslim world, Azerbaijan proclaimed the right to vote for all regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and religion, preceding even the United States in granting women equal political rights with men.

This Republic was recognized by many advanced nations of the time, including the United States. In fact, following a meeting with a delegation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic during the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson remarked that he and these men spoke the same language with respect to conceptions of liberty, right, and justice.

Tragically, Azerbaijan's independence was interrupted when the Russian Red Army invaded the nation in 1920. Only in 1991, as the Soviet Union disintegrated, were the people of Azerbaijan given a second chance to restore their democracy and rejoin the world's community of free nations.

Over the last twenty-two years, the Republic of Azerbaijan has consolidated its sovereignty and independence, and has become one of the fastest growing economies in the region and beyond. Azerbaijan is also a staunch ally and strategic partner of the United States in the critically important Caspian region.

I congratulate the people of Azerbaijan on this important anniversary, and commend them on their continued efforts and commitment to building a strong and vibrant Azerbaijan .