A group of congressmen this week presented a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives congratulating Turkey and its people on Republic Day, Oct. 29.

The resolution was drafted by co-chairs of the Turkey caucus in the U.S. Congress Virginia Foxx, Ed Whitfield, Steve Cohen and Gerry Connolly. The resolution notes that Oct. 29, 1923, when Turkey was formally established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, “the visionary leader of modern Turkey,” is celebrated by Turks as independence day. It also recalls a key visit by President Barack Obama to Turkey in 2009, when he reaffirmed the U.S.’s strategic ties with Turkey and described relations with Turkey as a “model partnership.”

The resolution, dated April 12, which is due to be taken up in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, also expresses “appreciation for Turkey’s contribution to global efforts to combat international terrorism and recognizes Turkey as one of the most important strategic partners of the U.S., commending it for strengthening its democracy and becoming a source of stability in its region.” Noting that Turkey is “a secular, pluralistic, Westward-looking democracy with a predominantly Muslim population”, the resolution says “Turkey has a significant and constructive influence in the Balkans, the Middle East, the Caucasus and Central Asia.”

Stating that recent dramatic developments in the Middle East have once again demonstrated the importance of the Turkish model as a vibrant democracy and a free-market economy, the resolution notes that the U.S. and Turkey “share the common values of democracy, diversity, tolerance, social mobility and the separation of religious and civic life,” Today’s Zaman reported.