ASA greets Azerbaijanis with the waiver of discriminating Section 907 against Azerbaijan, expresses gratitude to U.S. Senators
October 24th, 2001
For further information, please
contact:
Javid Huseynov, Press Officer
Azerbaijan Society of America
After several years of fighting against Section 907 of
Freedom Support Act, Azerbaijan Society of America today proudly announces the
waiver of this discriminating section by the U.S. Senate. ASA thanks and greets
all members, organizations, senators, and individuals, who ardently fought
through the years against this unfair, openly biased section of the U.S.
Freedom Support Act. Our society is also happy to notice a positive shift in
the U.S. policy towards a balanced solution of regional conflicts in Caucasus,
and a change from one-sided pro-Armenian to a bipartisan position in the
resolution of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
Section 907, adopted in 1992 by the U.S. Congress through
the lobbying efforts of Armenian Americans, prohibited any aid to the state of
Azerbaijan, as long as it "maintained a blockade of Armenia and the
occupied Karabakh region of Azerbaijan". While portraying Armenians as
victims of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, under the influence of Armenian lobby,
for 9 years the U.S. Congress ignored the fact that Armenia has occupied 15% of
internationally recognized Azerbaijani territory, ignorantly violated 3 U.N.
resolutions, and forced close to 1 million Azerbaijanis out of their homes in
Armenia and occupied parts of Azerbaijan. Facts of ethnic cleansing and inhuman
massacre of Azerbaijanis committed by Armenians in the town of Khojaly in 1992
never made it to the agenda of U.S. Congress either. While generously providing
assistance to Armenia and unrecognized puppet regime of so-called
"Nagorno-Karabakh Republic", U.S. legislators largely ignored 1
million Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs, victims of Armenian aggression.
After all these years, we are happy to see the change, and
we express our gratitude to all senators who voted for fair and unbiased
American approach to Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Our special thanks go to
the Honorable Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), who numerously sponsored and
finally achieved the waiver of Section 907. It now strengthens our belief that
the participation of the United States in OSCE Minsk Group for resolution of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be instrumental in achieving a peace in the
region.
This waiver has an important implication for the U.S. as
well. It will result in further strengthening of the U.S.-Azerbaijani alliance
against terrorism. The state of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani Americans fully
support the U.S. position in the war against terrorism, in addition, the government
of Azerbaijan has made all the resources and transit corridors available for
the U.S. forces to conduct the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan. We also
fully support U.S. efforts on fighting ASALA and PKK regional terrorist groups,
and enforcing the rule of law against criminal groups and individuals (such as
convicted Armenian-American terrorist Mourad Topalian) linked to terrorism
inside the United States.
In addition, the waiver of Section 907 will also improve
already developed U.S.-Azerbaijani economic ties, especially in energy sphere.
On behalf of all Azerbaijani Americans, ASA considers this
waiver as its own victory as well, and will celebrate this date as one of the
most important achievements in its history.
The Azerbaijan Society of America is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing knowledge about the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azeri people, their culture and history.
Press Release ASM, CA/#029
Copyright 2001 Azerbaijan Society of America