His Excellency Mr Donald Trump, President of the United States of America

Dear Mr President,

On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my sincere congratulations to you and through you to all the people of your country on the occasion of the national holiday of the US – Independence Day.

Having rapidly and comprehensively developed on the basis of friendship and cooperation over the past 25 years since the establishment of our diplomatic ties, the relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United States reached the level of strategic partnership.

The US` important and continuous support for the large-scale transnational projects implemented by Azerbaijan in the field of energy security, close and fruitful cooperation of our two countries in the fight against international terrorism, and the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan are among the key factors characterizing our partnership.

We also pin great hopes on the efforts of the United States, as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, and on your efforts personally, Mr. President, towards ensuring a peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with the norms of international law, within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and towards liberating Azerbaijan`s occupied lands and ensuring the return of over a million of Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs to their homelands.

On this joyful day, I wish you robust health, success in your activities, and the friendly people of the United States lasting peace and prosperity.

Sincerely,

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 30 June, 2017