On Tuesday, official events were held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kyiv to mark the 107th anniversary of the proclamation of independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Among the guests were representatives of the Verkhovna Rada, the government, the diplomatic corps, and expert and business circles of Ukraine.
Greeting those present, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Ukraine Seymur Mardaliev called May 28 “a day that marks the birth of an independent nation rich in history, culture, and resilience.” In his speech, he drew a historical parallel between the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic of 1918 and the modern state:
“Exactly 107 years ago, on May 28, 1918, with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was founded — the first parliamentary democracy in the entire Muslim East. The ADR was created on the principles of freedom, equality, and national self-determination. It was not only a bold manifestation of our people’s right to statehood, but also an innovative example of democratic governance in the East,” he said.
The ambassador emphasized that although the ADR existed for only 23 months, it left a deep mark on the history of Azerbaijan.
“This experience of independent statehood became an important part of national identity when Azerbaijan regained its independence in 1991 and proudly proclaimed itself the successor to the ADR. The Azerbaijani tricolor, national anthem, and coat of arms reflect the legacy of this historic republic,” Seymour Mardaliev emphasized.
He highlighted the successes in the field of clean energy, mentioning the launch of the Southern Gas Corridor, the development of the Black Sea submarine cable project, and the national “green growth” strategy, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2050.
“Today, under the wise and far-sighted leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan is a sovereign, democratic country that is successfully implementing the ideals of the ADR through effective governance, dynamic human capital development, and active foreign policy. We are experiencing the most successful period in our history,” the ambassador emphasized.
Speaking about the partnership with Ukraine, Mardaliev emphasized the strategic nature of bilateral relations. He also mentioned the recent political consultations between the two countries, including the visit of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga to Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan and Ukraine have traditionally strong ties based on mutual respect, trust, and support for each other’s territorial integrity. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Azerbaijan has been actively providing humanitarian aid, which has already reached a total of US$42 million. And we are ready to continue our support. Azerbaijan supplies energy equipment, finances the reconstruction of social infrastructure facilities in Irpin, and provides fuel for emergency services through SOCAR Ukraine. In February this year, President Aliyev signed a decree on additional aid to Ukraine in the amount of US$1 million. We also support humanitarian demining, in particular by supplying equipment and training specialists,” he said.
In his speech, Mardaliev also touched upon Azerbaijan’s achievements in the environmental sphere and at the global level:
“Azerbaijan has voluntarily committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2050, and Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur are being transformed into green energy zones. We are actively working on transregional energy projects, in particular the Black Sea submarine cable project, which will allow us to export ‘green’ energy to Europe,” he said.
Special attention was paid to the issues of recovery and peace in the South Caucasus. The speech included messages about Baku’s desire for lasting peace in the region. In particular, Mardaliev noted the achievements in direct negotiations with Armenia, emphasizing the need to conclude a peace agreement.
“We have begun unprecedented restoration work in the liberated territories and at the same time strive to achieve a just and lasting peace with Armenia. Azerbaijan clearly states: it is time to turn de facto peace into de jure peace. We want to live in peace as two sovereign states within internationally recognized borders,” the ambassador emphasized.
At the end of his speech, Mardaliev called for unity and thanked the Ukrainian side for its partnership.
“Dear friends, I am sincerely grateful to each of you for being with us today, for supporting Azerbaijani-Ukrainian ties and deepening the friendship between our countries. Together we are stronger. Glory to Azerbaijan! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Azerbaijani-Ukrainian friendship!” he concluded.
On May 28, 1918, the independence of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) was proclaimed in Tbilisi — the first secular republic in the Muslim East. The ADR existed until April 1920, when Bolshevik troops established control over its territory. In 1991, after the collapse of the USSR, Azerbaijan regained its independence. May 28 is celebrated annually as the main national holiday — Independence Day.
AZERBAIJAN, CAUCASUS, INTERNATIONAL_RELATIONS, SEYMOUR_MARDALIEV, UKRAINE
