U.S. lawmakers congratulate Azerbaijan on the Republic Day

On 93rd anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, members of US Congress, Bill Shuster, and Virginia Fox made congratulatory statements in the House of Representatives, press service of the Azerbaijani embassy in the U.S reported.

Congressman Bill Shuster said that Azerbaijan firstly created conditions for U.S. companies to develop energy resources of the Caspian Sea and has become a key player in global energy security. "The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is the most successful project that promotes the development of the South Caucasus region, and became the main artery of the delivery of hydrocarbons of the Caspian Sea in the United States and our partners in Europe. It is noteworthy that in 2009 Azerbaijan has delivered almost a quarter of all crude oil supplies to Israel, and is considered a leading potential supplier of natural gas for the Nabucco pipeline, which is supported by the United States", - Congressman Shuster said.

In a statement, Virginia Fox said that Azerbaijan is located in a strategic region between Russia and Iran, as well as between Europe and Asia, and Azerbaijan is a stable and secular state, and one of the few places in this part of the world where Muslims, Jews and Christians live peacefully together. "Azerbaijan has made tremendous progress over the past 20 years and became a key U.S. ally in the strategically important region", - she said.

"US-Azerbaijani partnership based on shared values and common purposes, and is a key component of regional security. As stressed by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates during a recent visit to Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan provides multifaceted support for U.S. and NATO operations in Afghanistan ensuring the transit of about 25 percent of the land and sea cargo to Afghanistan”, - added Congressman Virginia Fox.

Noted that Congressman Bill Shuster is co-chairman of the Working Group on Azerbaijan in the U.S. Congress, and Virginia Fox is a member of this group.


/APA/