California Lawmakers Hail U.S.-Azerbaijan Strategic Alliance

LOS ANGELES, March 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At the invitation of the California State Senate, a high-ranking delegation of Azerbaijan's Milli Majlis (Parliament) paid an official visit to California's capital city of Sacramento on March 11, 2013.

The parliamentary delegation, consisting of Mr. Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations Committee of Milli Majlis, Mrs. Sevinj Fataliyeva, Mrs. Sahiba Gafarova, and Mr. Asim Mollazade, was accompanied by Mr. Khalik Mammadov, Vice-President of Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) and Mr. Nasimi Aghayev, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles.

An official welcome ceremony honoring the Azerbaijani delegation was held in the California State Senate Floor. During the ceremony, Azerbaijan's national flag was being flown at the Senate podium.

Senator Bob Huff, the Republican Leader of the Senate, introduced the delegation to the Senate Floor. He stated that "Azerbaijan, the first ever parliamentary democracy in the Muslim world, is a strong ally of the United States, sharing global and regional security and energy interests".  "Azerbaijan first opened a Consulate General here in California in 2006 and has been developing robust ties ever since", Senator Huff noted. Mentioning the visit to Azerbaijan of a Senate delegation in 2011, he said: "We witnessed firsthand the vibrant economic development taking place and the forward thinking of its populace". 

Then, Mr. Seyidov was invited to address the Senators. In his remarks, Mr. Seyidov highlighted the common values shared by both nations and stressed the importance of Azerbaijan-U.S. strategic partnership. "When terror hit the United States, Azerbaijan rendered unconditional assistance to America in its fight against international terrorism, opening its airspace and sending troops to Afghanistan and later to Iraq", Mr. Seyidov noted. 

Referring to the ethnic and religious tolerance in Azerbaijan, Mr. Seyidov mentioned the construction and reconstruction of synagogues and churches in the country during the last few years. "Tolerance has become a norm of life in Azerbaijan", he said.

The same day the delegation met with Mr. Darrell Steinberg, President Pro Tem of the State Senate. Calling Azerbaijan one of the most significant allies of the United States, Senator Steinberg stressed the importance of strengthening ties between Azerbaijan and America, Azerbaijan and California. Thanking the President Pro Tem, Mr. Seyidov noted the significance of expanding Azerbaijan-California inter-parliamentary relations, and continuing bilateral visits.

The delegation also met with Senator Bob Huff, and Assemblywoman Connie Conway, the Republican Leader of the California State Assembly, during which the prospects of further development of relations between Azerbaijan and California were discussed.

Expansion of economic ties was the major topic of discussions at the meetings held with Ms. Sandra Schubert, Undersecretary at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and with the high-ranking representatives of the California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development.

The visit was concluded with a well-attended dinner reception hosted by the California State Senate and California International Relations Foundation, at which many California lawmakers, as well as renowned leaders of Northern California's Jewish community, business people, journalists, and members of Azerbaijani community of the Bay Area were present. Addressing the audience, Senator Mark DeSaulnier and Senator Ted Lieu called Azerbaijan a strong and reliable ally in a difficult, but critically important region of the world. Speaking afterwards, Mr. Samad Seyidov, Mrs. Sevinj Fataliyeva, and Consul General Nasimi Aghayev thanked the Senate and Foundation for the warm hospitality, and expressed a firm desire to further strengthen the existing bilateral relations. The dinner ended with the captivating performance of Azerbaijani Mugham music by Mr. Imamyar Hasanov, the master of Azerbaijani Kamancha.

SOURCE Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles