Dear Mr. President, It is on the occasion of the National Holiday of the United States of America – Independence Day that on my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and, through you, the friendly people of the United States of America, and offer my best wishes.The relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United States of America have developed dynamically, rooted in friendship and cooperation and ascended to the level of strategic partnership in a number of spheres. Tackling global challenges and confronting international terrorism, active and productive joint efforts in security matters, and engagement across the broad spectrum in the economic domain are among the primary factors defining our bilateral relations. Our critical cooperation in the energy sector is gratifying. The United States has remained a resolute and steadfast supporter of Azerbaijan’s energy policy at every phase. We especially value the close cooperation between our nations in ensuring energy security and the U.S.’s comprehensive support for large-scale transnational projects implemented by us. Presently, a favorable environment has emerged for ushering in lasting peace in the South Caucasus. We highly appreciate the efforts by the U.S. in normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations and the process of preparing the peace agreement based on the norms and principles of international law. Dear Mr. President,Today, we are determined to capitalize on the substantial potential of joint activity across a number of domains and further expand our ties with the U.S. I am confident that we will continue our consistent efforts to develop and solidify the Azerbaijan-U.S. partnership, stemming from mutual trust and support, in line with the interests of our states and for the sake of prosperity of our peoples. On this memorable day, I seize this opportunity to wish robust health and success to you and everlasting prosperity to the friendly people of the United States of America. Sincerely,   Ilham Aliyev President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku, 3 July 2023