SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2014

A JOINT MEMORIAL

CALLING ON THE UNITED STATES FOR A RESOLUTION OF THE ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT.

     WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan is in the South Caucasus region bordering Iran, the Russian Federation and Central Asia; and

     WHEREAS, the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan established diplomatic relations on February 28, 1992; and

     WHEREAS, over the past twenty years, the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan expanded their partnership and developed multifaceted cooperation on issues ranging from energy security, to the fight against international terrorism, to efforts against drug and human trafficking, to nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and

     WHEREAS, United States Secretary of State John Kerry stated on June 3, 2013 that "Azerbaijan has been an important partner in Afghanistan, in ISAF, and equally important with respect to the northern distribution route but also the southern gas line and other issues that are of great importance to us"; and

     WHEREAS, over the past decades, the Republic of Azerbaijan has succeeded in rebuilding its economy, has tripled its gross domestic product, is currently one of the rapidly developing economies globally and accounts for eighty percent of the gross domestic product of the South Caucasus region and is the biggest United States trade partner in the South Caucasus; and

     WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan initiated a number of strategically important trans-regional energy and transportation projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which contribute to the prosperity of not only the Republic of Azerbaijan, but also to regional allies of the United States of America like Turkey and Georgia; and

     WHEREAS, despite these positive developments, persistent protracted conflicts in the South Caucasus continue to threaten regional peace and stability and impede further development of regional cooperation for the benefit of all three countries of the South Caucasus;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the strategic partnership between the United States of America and the Republic of Azerbaijan be supported; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States department of state be requested to support efforts to achieve a swift and just settlement of the conflict; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the Office of the Governor, the Secretary of Cultural Affairs and the United States Secretary of State.

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