ISRAELI PARLIAMENT MARKS AZERBAIJAN REPUBLIC DAY

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 25 2007

Israeli Parliament (Knesset) hosted a ceremony on May 28 Republic
Day of Azerbaijan on May 24, APA’s Israeli bureau reports.

Israeli Knesset’s speaker and acting Israeli President Dalia
Itzik made an opening speech at the ceremony organized by
newly-established Israeli-Azerbaijan International Association. She
praised Azerbaijan-Israel relations and stated that those moved from
Azerbaijan have made significant contributions to the development of
the Israeli society.

"It is estimable that though immigrants from Azerbaijan, who have
been living in Israel for 10-15 years, are Israeli by origin, they
do not forget the history, culture, traditions of Azerbaijan. Israeli
Knesset is your house, you always welcome," she said.

President of Israeli-Azerbaijan International Association, Israeli
Knesset member, Israeli-Azerbaijan Interparliamentary Friendship
Group’s Chairman Iosif Shagal said that Azerbaijani Republic Day is
marked in Knesset for the first time.

"I could never believe that I will be Knesset member while leaving
Azerbaijan 17 years ago and celebrate Azerbaijan Republic Day,"
he said.

Mr.Shagal also informed about his recent visit to the US together
with Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Arthur Lenk and chairman of the
State Committee for Azerbaijanis Living Abroad Nazim Ibrahimov. He
also said that they met representatives of Jewish lobbies and debated
mutual cooperation issues.

Mr.Shagal congratulated Azerbaijani people on the holiday at the end
of his speech.

Expert on international relations Arie Gut spoke about the role
of Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus region. He stressed that after
achieving independence, Azerbaijan lived hard times, had to suffer
war started by Armenians, lost 20 percent of its territories, 1
million people of Azerbaijan have became refugees and internally
displaced persons.

The expert said that the South Caucasus and Central Asia are the
regions where the interests of US and its allies collide with those
of Russia, Iran, China.

Gut also analyzed Azerbaijan’s relations with US, Russia, Turkey
and Iran.

The representatives of "Our house-Israel" Party Robert Ilatov
and Alex Miller, Turkish Ambassador to Israel Namig Tan, Georgian
Ambassador to Israel Lasha Jvanya also congratulated the Azerbaijani
nation. Azerbaijani MPs Lala Abbasova and Safar Mammadov addressing
the event stressed the necessity of deepening of bilateral relations
between Israel and Azerbaijan.