Obama: U.S., Azerbaijan have valued ties

US President Barack Obama has sent a congratulatory letter to his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of Republic Day, May 28.

``Azerbaijan proudly established itself as an independent state on May 28, 1918. The democratic aspirations of the Azerbaijani people never ceased, and they emerged once again more than 70 years later when Azerbaijan regained its independence in 1991,`` Obama wrote.

Obama also noted that this year, the United States and Azerbaijan celebrate an important milestone in their partnership.

``2012 also marks the twentieth anniversary of US-Azerbaijani diplomatic relations. I would like to note on this important occasion the valued ties between our governments and peoples, as well as the significant achievements we have made together,`` Obama said.