Premise: Azerbaijan ( [ æzərbaɪˈʒɑːn ] ; Azərbaycan ) , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan ( Azərbaycan Respublikası ) , is a country in the South Caucasus region , situated at the crossroads of Southwest Asia and Southeastern Europe . The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991 , prior to the official dissolution of the USSR in December 1991 .
Hypothesis: Azerbaijan is independent.
Label: ENTAILMENT