Azernews.Az

By Nigar Orujova

Azerbaijan celebrated its independence day on October 18, an historic date marking the establishment of a second independent state over two decades ago after 70 years of Soviet rule.

The historical conditions that emerged after the USSR's collapse in 1991 helped Azerbaijan gain its independence for a second time in the 20th century.

The Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan Republic passed a declaration on restoring Azerbaijan's state independence at an extraordinary meeting called on the people's will on August 30, 1991.

The activity of Russian democratic forces had made it impossible to suppress the non-subordination to the central authorities and the quest for independence in the republic.

The Constitutional Act "On the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan" was adopted at the session of the Supreme Council on October 18, 1991. Since that day, Azerbaijan has been an independent and sovereign state and this date is widely celebrated as State Independence Day in the country.

The Azerbaijani people unanimously supported the declaration of independence at a referendum held on December 29.

Azerbaijan's parliament approved the State Anthem of the country and shortly thereafter -- in May 1992 -- a three-colored flag reflecting an eight-point star with fire in its center was adopted.

The history of Azerbaijan, which lies along the ancient Silk Road, dates back many centuries, although it was not always a single country and not always known by this name.

The first Azerbaijani independent state, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, was established in 1918, but was to last only 23 months. Azerbaijani oil wealth attracted many countries, and the Soviet Union conquered the country in 1920. As many as 20,000 Azerbaijani soldiers fell in this conflict.

Although the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was short-lived, it left an indelible mark in history.

Azerbaijan was the first contemporary parliamentary democracy in the Muslim world. It was the first Islamic country in the world to grant equal rights to women.

A further significant achievement of this predecessor to modern Azerbaijan was the establishment of Baku State University, the first modern university in the Muslim East.

Culture has always played a great role in the nation's life. Remarkably, Azerbaijan was the first nation with predominantly Muslim population to have operas and theaters.

After breaking free from the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan lost 20 percent of its territory in a war with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The Karabakh conflict remains the biggest and most painful problem of the country. About a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs in the aftermath of the 1990s war. A policy of ethnic cleansing was pursued against Azerbaijanis.

In 1992, the Armenians committed Khojaly genocide, killing hundreds of innocent people, including women, elderly people and children.

The UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on the Karabakh conflict, urging an unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the neighboring country's occupied territories, but they have not been enforced to date. Long-standing efforts by US, Russian and French mediators have been fruitless so far.

Despite the unresolved bitter conflict and the presence of IDPs, Azerbaijan is on the path of progress.

Over the past eight to nine years, the fast-growing South Caucasus republic's gross domestic product has tripled, industrial production increased about three-fold, and commercial production also increased.

The poverty rate in Azerbaijan fell from 49 percent to 7 percent, the unemployment rate is 5.3 percent and the external debt is only 7 percent of GDP.

Azerbaijan's trade turnover is increasing as well. A number of infrastructure projects important for the region, including projects aiming to create energy infrastructure, are being implemented in the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a congratulatory letter issued over the State Independence Day on Wednesday, wrote that Azerbaijan enjoys a "well-deserved reputation in the world, plays an active part in addressing the pressing issues of the international agenda".