After recalling that present-day Azerbaijan is the heir of the Democratic Republic founded on May 28, 1918 —the first parliamentary republic in the East— Ambassador Ramiz Hasanov said that this brief political experiment —it lasted only 20 months— “represents a people faithful to the principles of sovereignty, secularism, and democratic governance.”
The ambassador added, during the reception he held to commemorate this national holiday, that this republic “left a great legacy in the field of building a democratic state, granting women the right to vote before many European countries and establishing the first tradition of multiparty parliament in the Turkic world.”
Hasanov compared that first Azerbaijani republic to the current one, which was established upon regaining independence from the USSR in 1991 and which, as he said, “has taken important steps on the path towards internal stability and sustainable development, while continuing to contribute to peace, security, and cooperation both regionally and globally.
In this regard, he stated that “it is a source of pride that for his efforts in favor of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and for promoting dialogue, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, has received this year the Gernika Prize for Peace and Reconciliation” alongside Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
“The example of Azerbaijan and Armenia,” Hasanov stated, “demonstrates that even after long years of conflict and distrust, peace is possible when there is political will and international support”.
“Today, Azerbaijan is one of the leading countries in the region and continues to make significant progress, in addition to becoming a platform for cooperation in areas such as energy, transportation, security, humanitarian issues, and intercultural dialogue,” the ambassador stated, referring to the future, in which he hopes Spain will play a prominent role.
Over the past year, relations between Azerbaijan and Spain have developed at a very positive pace, further deepening political dialogue and institutional cooperation at various levels.” During this period, several institutional visits have taken place, such as those of the President of the Congress of Deputies, Francina Armengo, and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs, Diego Martínez Belío.
“The celebration in Madrid of the second strategic dialogue on economic cooperation, as well as the continuity of important contacts in the fields of culture, education, and mutual understanding have significantly contributed to the expansion of relations and the strengthening of cooperation between our countries.”
“Azerbaijan and Spain have advanced together based on mutual respect, trust, and shared values. We are determined to continue strengthening these ties even further,” concluded Ambassador Hasanov.
