Co-chairman of the working group on Azerbaijan in the U.S. Congress, Congressman Steve Cohen from Tennessee has made a statement on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy which resulted with the death of hundreds of innocent people.

The statement says that despite the fact that the two countries have signed a ceasefire agreement more than 20 years ago, 20 per cent of the Azerbaijani territories including the Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions are still under the Armenian occupation, more than a million Azerbaijanis were displaced from their homes.

The statement notes that although Azerbaijan suffers from a very tough neighborhood, the country is a very strong partner of the U.S. and its allies in a number of issues, including the security and energy ones.

Steve Cohen hails Azerbaijan`s important contribution to the international peacekeeping operations, in particular to NATO operations in Afghanistan.

The Congressman also hails Azerbaijan`s leading role in the construction of the Southern gas corridor which will constitute a significant alternative in terms of natural gas supply for the European countries, saying the country ensures about 40 per cent of Israel`s oil consumption.

Mr. Cohen stresses the importance of the United States` active supporting the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at a time when the world Azerbaijanis commemorate the victims of the Khojaly tragedy.

The congressman also attended the commemorative ceremony on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Khojaly genocide held at the U.S. Congress.