After the 1917 revolution in Russia, the processes of weakening and disintegration of the Empire became more pronounced and conditions were ripe in outlying ethnic regions of the former Russian Empire for the formation of independent States. And so, on May 28, 1918 the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic was proclaimed in the territory of the eastern part of the southern Caucasus - the first parliamentary democracy in the Islamic east - and which was to play a historic role in the renaissance and formation of the sense of ethnic identity and statehood of the Azerbaijani nation. At that time, leader of Azerbaijan fraction was Mammad Amin Rasulzade.

         The development of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, both as a nation and a State, was based on the idea of "Azerbaijanism", which hinged on the principles of modernism, Islamism and Turkism, symbolizing the Azerbaijani people's aspiration for progress based on preservation of their adherence to Islamic civilization and Turkic culture and on their separate ethnic identity.

         In its brief existence of less than two years, the multi-party Azerbaijani parliament and the coalition government managed to take a number of important steps in the process of nation-building and the development of statehood, in such areas as education, formation of an army, development of independent financial and economic systems and securing international recognition for the young republic as a full member of the international community of nations. On January 11, 1920 the Paris Peace Conference, with the Treaty of Versailles, accorded de facto recognition of the independence of the Azerbaijani Republic, with its capital.

         In late 1919 and early 1920, however, the political situation of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic - both at home and abroad - worsened considerably. The country found itself caught up in a ferocious tug-of-war between the countries of the Entente, Russia and Persia, each pursuing its own geopolitical goals in this strategically important and oil-rich area. BR>

         The National Council of Azerbaijan, consisting of the Deputy Chairman Hasan-bey Agayev, the Secretary Mustafa Mahmudov, Fatali Khan Khoyski, Khalil-bey Khas-Mammadov, Nasib-bey Usubbeyov, Mir Hidayat Seidov, Nariman-bey Narimanbeyov, Heybat-Gulu Mammadbeyov, Mehti-bey Hajinski, Ali Asker-bey Mahmudbeyov, Aslan-bey Gardashev, Sultan Majid Ganizadeh, Akber-Aga Sheykh-Ul-Islamov, Mehdi-bey Hajibababeyov, Mammad Yusif Jafarov, Khudadad-bey Melik-Aslanov, Rahim-bey Vekilov, Hamid-bey Shahtahtinskiy, Fridun-bey Kocharlinski, Jamo-bey Hajinski, Shafi-bey Rustambeyov, Hosrov-Pashabey Sultanov, Jafar Akhundov, Mahammad Maherramov, Javad Melik-Yeganov and Haji Molla Akhund-zadeh adopts the following Act of Independence of Azerbaijan on May 28, 1918 in the city of Tiflis.

         The political regime established in Russia during the Great Russian Revolution has caused the collapse of the different parts of the state structure and the abandonment of Transcaucasus by the Russian troops.

         Left on their own, the Transcaucasian peoples took over the decision on their fate and established the Transcaucasian Democratic Federal Republic. However, in the subsequent political development, the Georgian people expressed their will to separate from the Transcaucasian Democratic Federal Republic and to create the Independent Georgian Democratic Republic.

         Generated by the cessation of hostilities between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, the current political situation of Azerbaijan and in particular the intolerable anarchy within the country, call for the need of creating a separate State in Azerbaijan in order to deliver its people from the constraints that result from the present difficult internal and external situation. This State shall consist of Eastern and Southern Transcaucasus.

         Consequently, the National Council of Azerbaijan, issued from a nation-wide election, now declares to the nation:

         I. Henceforth, the people of Azerbaijan is sovereign and Azerbaijan, consisting of Eastern and Southern Transcaucasus, is an independent state with all rights pertaining to statehood.

         II. The form of political organization of independent Azerbaijan is a Democratic Republic.

         III. The Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan aims to establish relations of good neighbourhood with all countries, in particular with friendly nations and states.

         IV. The Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan guarantees on its territory, the civil and political rights to all citizens, irrespective of their nationality, religion, social status and gender.

         V. The Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan provides widest possibilities to all ethnic groups living on its territory, for their free development.

         VI. Pending the first session of the Constitutive Assembly, governmental authority in Azerbaijan is entrusted to the Provisional Government, which reports to both the National Council and the National Assembly, issued from a nation-wide election.