HM 47 — AZERBAIJAN DEMOCRACY 100TH ANNIVERSARY

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 47HONORING 53RDTHE LEGISLATUREONE-HUNDREDTH -ANNIVERSARY STATE OF NEWTHE MEXICOAZERBAIJAN -DEMOCRATIC SECONDREPUBLIC SESSIONBECOMING ,THE 2018FIRST INTRODUCEDDEMOCRACY BYIN DebbieTHE A.MUSLIM WORLD.

RodellaWHEREAS, andfollowing Marythe KayOctober PapenRevolution 6in 8the 10Russian Aempire, MEMORIALthe HONORINGAzerbaijani THEpeople ONE-HUNDREDTHestablished ANNIVERSARYthe OFAzerbaijan THEDemocratic AZERBAIJANRepublic DEMOCRATICon REPUBLICMay BECOMING28, THE1918, FIRSTwhich DEMOCRACYbecame INthe THEfirst MUSLIMsecular WORLD.democracy in the entire Muslim world;

15and WHEREAS, following the Octobernew Revolutiondemocracy inenacted themany Russianprogressive empire,reforms, including granting the Azerbaijaniright peopleto establishedvote theto women in 1919, which made Azerbaijan enot tonly 17the Democraticfirst Republicmajority- onMuslim Maynation 28,to 1918,empower whichwomen, becamebut theit firstalso wput lthe ncountry dahead 18of secularmany democracyadvanced innations at the entiretime Muslimin world;championing women's rights;

and = = 19 a l WHEREAS, the newAzerbaijan democracyDemocratic enactedRepublic manywas progressiverecognized iby aother edemocratic rnations, 20 reforms, including granting the rightUnited toStates; vote to women in 1919, a t m m 21 which made Azerbaijan not only the first majority-Muslim nation d r e 22 to empower women, but it also put the country ahead of many c e s k 23 advanced nations at the time in championing women's rights;

and eWHEREAS, after meeting a ndelegation bof 24Azerbaijanis WHEREAS,in theParis, AzerbaijanUnited DemocraticStates RepublicPresident wasWoodrow recognizedWilson usaid, ["One byday otherthere democraticcame nations,in includinga thevery Uniteddignified States;and interesting group of gentlemen who were from Azerbaijan ...

andI .209959.1was WHEREAS,talking afterto meetingmen awho delegationtalked ofthe Azerbaijanissame inlanguage Paris,that UnitedI Statesdid President Woodrow Wilson said, "One day there came in arespect veryof dignifiedideas and interestingconceptions group of gentlemenliberty, whoright wereand fromjustice"; Azerbaijan ...

Iand wasWHEREAS, talkingin to1920, menthe whoSoviet talkedarmy invaded Azerbaijan, HM 47 ending the samenation's languageindependence thatuntil I1991, didwhen inAzerbaijan respectPage of1 ideasrestored andits 6freedom conceptionsfollowing the collapse of liberty,the rightUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics and justice";became the Republic of Azerbaijan;

and WHEREAS, in 1920, the SovietUnited armyStates invadedwas Azerbaijan,one endingof the nation'sfirst independencecountries untilto 1991,recognize when Azerbaijan restored its freedom following the collapseRepublic of theAzerbaijan Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and becameestablish thefull-fledged Republicdiplomatic ofrelations Azerbaijan;with it;

and 12 WHEREAS, the United States wasand one of the firstUnited countriesNations to recognize the Republic of Azerbaijan and establishsupport full-Azerbaijan's fledgedsovereignty, diplomaticindependence relationsand withterritorial it;integrity;

and WHEREAS, since 1991, the UnitedRepublic Statesof Azerbaijan has consolidated its freedom and independence and has become one of the Unitedworld's Nationsfastest recognizedeveloping and supportmodernizing Azerbaijan'scountries, sovereignty,the independencelargest eeconomy eof 17the region and territorialthe integrity;biggest trade partner with the United States in the south Caucasus;

and eWHEREAS, ethe nUnited dStates 18and WHEREAS, since 1991, the Republic of Azerbaijan hashave =expanded =their lpartnership ] 19 consolidated its freedom and independencedeveloped andmulti-faceted hascooperation becomeon oneissues ofranging afrom lenergy rsecurity; i 20 the world's fastest developing and modernizing countries, the t e a t largest economy of the region and the biggest trade partner m m 21 e d with the United States in the south Caucasus;

and r e 22 c e r c 23 WHEREAS, the Unitednonproliferation Statesof andweapons the Republic of Azerbaijanmass edestruction; a n b 24 have expanded their partnership and developed multi-faceted u [ cooperation on issues ranging from energy security;

the .209959.1 - 2 - nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction;

and WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to render comprehensive and unconditional assistance 6 to the United States immediately after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, opening its airspace and airports for use by coalition troops in Afghanistan and HM 47 Page 2 sending its soldiers to serve shoulder-to-shoulder with American troops;

and WHEREAS, since 2001, the Republic of Azerbaijan has been providing a vital transportation route for over forty percent 12 of all supplies for American and coalition troops based in Afghanistan;

and WHEREAS, possessing vast oil and gas resources, the Republic of Azerbaijan contributes to the energy security of the United States, Europe and Israel and is a critical element e e 17 of the "Southern Gas Corridor", which will further enhance e e n d 18 diversification of energy supplies to European allies;

and = = l ] 19 WHEREAS, it is critical for the United States to continue a l r i 20 to further support the freedom and independence of its allies, t e a t such as Azerbaijan, and strengthen relations in order to m m 21 e d advance the common interest now and in the future;

and r e 22 c e r c 23 WHEREAS, Azerbaijan is represented by its consulate e a n b 24 general in Los Angeles, California, and an honorary consulate u [ in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and has formed a strong partnership .209959.1 - 3 - with New Mexico over the last few years;

and WHEREAS, May 28, 2018 will be celebrated as the one- hundredth anniversary of the establishment of Azerbaijan's first secular democracy, an event that is of great significance for all Azerbaijanis around the world, including HM 47 Page 3 many in New 6 Mexico, and for all supporters of freedom;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it hereby congratulate the Republic of Azerbaijan on the one-hundredth anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and express a firm support for the Republic of Azerbaijan's independence, 12 sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders in line with the national foreign policy of the United States;

and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that further strengthening of the strategic partnership and friendship between the United States e e 17 and the Republic of Azerbaijan be encouraged through mutual e e n d 18 efforts over the years to come;

and = = l ] 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be a l r i 20 transmitted to the president of the United States, the t e a t president pro tempore of the United States senate, the speaker m m 21 e d of the United States house of representatives and the members r e 22 c e r c 23 of the New Mexico congressional delegation.

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