U.S. Azeris Network congratulated President Barack Obama

USAN publishes a congratulation statement and appeal to President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joseph Biden, State Secretary-designate Hillary Clinton and the Members of Congress in the Washington Post's Inauguration Report Morning Edition and in the special Commemorative Edition.

The Washington Post has published the U.S. Azeris Network (USAN)'s special statement, congratulations and appeal to President Obama, his Administration and Members of Congress, in the Post's January 20 Inauguration Report morning edition and then again in an additional 500,000 copies of the newspaper in the special Commemorative edition that is printed in the afternoon of January 20, 2009. The full statement follows:

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On behalf of the Azerbaijani-American community, the U.S. Azeris Network (USAN), a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian grassroots advocacy organization, would like to extend its profound congratulations to President Barack Obama, as well as Vice President Joseph Biden and the new Administration, particularly Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton, National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones, and other friends of the Azeri-Americans. USAN would also like to sincerely congratulate the incoming and returning Members of Congress, especially the members of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus (CAC).

Azerbaijani-Americans and USAN would like to pledge their support and readiness to be consulted on any issue relevant to the community and to the Caspian region by President Obama and his Administration, as well as by the Members of Congress. Azerbaijani-Americans, as well as the entire Turkic-American community, look forward to working with the new Administration and Congress, as well as state and local officials, on all issues important for the community and the country, its prestige, standing and image in the world, and to promote our cause.

As described in the statement by the Azerbaijani-American community leaders adopted on October 2, 2008 at the USAN conference in Washington, D.C., Azerbaijani-Americans recognize the need to create better understanding of the aspirations of our community by the U.S. executive and legislative branches.

Our key aspiration is the liberation of all occupied Azerbaijani lands through the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. We believe that one of our most important objectives as a community of people tracing their heritage to Azerbaijan is to educate our government and lawmakers to assist in enhancement of the bilateral ties between Azerbaijan and the United States. Azerbaijani- Americans support the long term strategic allied relations between the United States and Azerbaijan, and we fully encourage the development of bilateral cooperation between our nation and all Turkic nations.