The King County Council of the U.S. State of Washington held a ceremony on April 17, 2019, honoring the Republic of Azerbaijan, its achievements as an independent nation as well as its friendship with the United States.

Axar.az reports that Azerbaijan’s Consul General in Los Angeles Nasimi Aghayev delivered remarks at the ceremony.

It is noteworthy that King County is the most populous county in the State of Washington and the 13th most populous in the United States. The County seat is in Seattle, which is one of the main industrial and business cities of the U.S.

Speaking before the presentation, King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer informed the Councilmembers and audience about Azerbaijan. He noted that Azerbaijan established the very first secular democratic republic in the Muslim world and granted women the right to vote two years earlier that the United States. Councilmember Reichbauer also highlighted strong economic relations between Azerbaijan and the State of Washington. Then he introduced Consul General Aghayev to Councilmembers and the audience.

Consul General Aghayev spoke about Azerbaijan’s history of independence, geopolitical location, economic development and its partnership with the U.S... He stated that “Azerbaijan is a staunch partner of the United States in the strategically important Caspian region.”

Aghayev stressed that since 1991 Azerbaijan has consolidated its sovereignty and independence, and has become one of the most rapidly developing and modernizing nations in the world and the biggest United States trade partner in the South Caucasus and that both countries share a strong commitment to diversifying energy supplies, fighting terrorism, and promoting regional security. The Consul General also stated that “Azerbaijan is also a place where Muslims, Christians, Jews, Baha’is, and other faiths continue to live together in peace, dignity and mutual respect, and we try to be an inspiring model in this regard for the wider region.”

Noting the strong economic relations between Azerbaijan and the State of Washington, Nasimi Aghayev mentioned that “Azerbaijan has become a major regional partner of such Washington-based companies as Boeing and Microsoft, signing multibillion-dollar contracts that have secured thousands of American jobs in Washington.”

In conclusion, Consul General Aghayev expressed his desire to expand all kinds of relations with King County, “which is home to a vibrant Azerbaijani community.”