,,iv  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,h4 ,,res4 #fjb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of
 ,,representatives  ,may #bh1 #bjad ,mr4
 ,stockman submitted the following      
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,foreign ,affairs         
,,resolution  ,recognizing the #ifth    
anniversary of the founding of the      
,democratic ,republic of ,azerbaijan4   
,whereas1 on ,may #bh1 #aiah1 the       
,democratic ,republic of ,azerbaijan was
 proclaimed the world's first secular   
,muslim parliamentary democratic        
republic2 ,whereas the ,democratic      
,republic of ,azerbaijan was granted    
diplomatic recognition by the ,united   
,states and other democratic nations2   
,whereas ,azerbaijan granted universal  
suffrage in #aiah1 making it the first  
majority ,muslim country to give women  
the right to vote2 ,whereas after the   
collapse of the ,soviet ,union the      
,united ,states established full        
diplomatic ties with the ,republic of   
,azerbaijan in #aiib2 ,whereas          

successive ,u4,s4 administrations have  
expressed support for ,azerbaijani      
development of energy resources in the  
,caspian ,sea region1 including         
construction of the landmark            
,baku-,tbilisi-,ceyhan oil pipeline and 
the ,baku-,tbilisi-,erzerum gas pipeline
 that are main arteries for delivering  
,caspian energy resources to global     
markets2 ,whereas completion of the     
,southern ,gas ,corridor will increase  
,european energy security by increasing 
the amount of natural gas flowing from  
the ,caspian ,sea to ,american allies in
 ,europe2 ,whereas in a recent letter to
 ,azerbaijan's ,president1 ,secretary of
 ,state ,john ,kerry wrote1 ,azerbaijan 
is becoming a new reliable member of    
world energy resources and helps ensure 
,europe's energy security4 ,the         
implementation of the ,southern ,gas    
,corridor after a long hard work1       
besides benefitting the consortium's    
numerous partners and neighbors1 will   
strengthen the independence of          

,azerbaijan2 ,whereas the ,republic of  
,azerbaijan is an important strategic   
partner of the ,united ,states1 and     
,azerbaijani troops serve shoulder to   
shoulder with ,u4,s4 soldiers in        
,afghanistan1 as they previously did in 
,iraq and ,kosovo2 ,whereas ,azerbaijan 
and the ,u4,s4 cooperate in countering  
terrorism1 nuclear proliferation1 and   
narcotics trafficking2 ,whereas         
,azerbaijan maintains close1 friendly   
ties with ,israel--,america's vital ally
 in the ,middle ,east--and provides #dj 
percent of ,israel's oil consumption2   
,whereas ,azerbaijan is home to ,muslim1
 ,christian1 and ,jewish communities and
 has been praised for its religious     
tolerance by the ,european ,parliament2 
,whereas ,azerbaijan's ,jewish community
 has resided in ,azerbaijan for #b1ejj  
years without persecution2 and ,whereas 
,azerbaijan supports peace and stability
 in the ,caspian ,sea region3 ,now1     
therefore1 be it  ,that the ,house of   
,representatives--  7#a7 extends warm   

congratulations and best wishes to the  
people of ,azerbaijan as they celebrate 
,republic ,day on the #ifth anniversary 
of the founding of the ,democratic      
,republic of ,azerbaijan2  7#b7 notes   
the important role that ,azerbaijan     
plays in ensuring the energy security of
 ,israel and other ,american allies in  
,europe2 and  7#c7 expresses support for
 continued cooperation between the      
,united ,states and ,azerbaijan on      
energy1 security1 and other matters4