Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests Page: 5 of 19
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07-22-05
its fate. The United States pursued close ties with Georgia after Eduard Shevardnadze,
formerly a pro-Western Soviet foreign minister, assumed power there in early 1992. Faced
with calls in Congress and elsewhere for a U.S. aid policy for the Eurasian states, then-
President George H.W. Bush sent the FREEDOM Support Act to Congress, which was
signed with amendments into law in October 1992 (P.L. 102-511).
U.S. policy toward the South Caucasus states includes promoting the resolution of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Azerbaijan's breakaway Nagorno Karabakh (NK) region,
and Georgia's conflicts with its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Successive U.S. Special Negotiators for NK and Eurasian Conflicts have helped in various
ways to settle these conflicts. Congressional concerns about the NK conflict led to the
inclusion of Section 907 in the FREEDOM Support Act, which prohibits U.S. government-
to-government assistance to Azerbaijan, except for non-proliferation and disarmament
activities, until the President determines that Azerbaijan has taken "demonstrable steps to
cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and NK" (on waiver
authority, see below). Provisions in FY1996, FY1998, and FY1999 legislation eased the
prohibition by providing for humanitarian, democratization, and business aid exemptions.
Some observers argue that developments in the South Caucasus region are largely
marginal to global anti-terrorism and to U.S. interests in general. They urge great caution
in adopting policies that will heavily involve the United States in a region beset by ethnic and
civil conflicts. Other observers believe that U.S. policy now requires more active
engagement in the South Caucasus. They urge greater U.S. aid and conflict resolution efforts
to contain warfare, crime, smuggling, terrorism, and Islamic extremism and to bolster the
independence of the states. Some argue that such enhanced U.S. relations also would serve
to "contain" Russian and Iranian influence, and that close U.S. ties with Azerbaijan would
benefit U.S. relations with other Islamic countries, particularly Turkey and the Central Asian
states. They also point to the prompt support offered to the United States by the regional
states in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks by Al Qaeda on the United States.
Some argue that energy resources in the Caspian region are a central U.S. strategic interest,
including because Azerbaijani and Central Asian oil and natural gas deliveries would lessen
slightly Western energy dependency on the Middle East (see below, Energy Resources).
Post-September 11. In the wake of September 11, 2001, U.S. policy priorities
shifted toward global anti-terrorist efforts. In the South Caucasus, the United States obtained
quick pledges from the three states to support Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in
Afghanistan, including overflight rights and Azerbaijan's and Georgia's offers of airbase andother support. OEF was later expanded to Georgia (see below, Security Assistance).
Congressional attitudes toward Azerbaijan and Section 907 also shifted. Presidential waiver
authority was added to Foreign Operations Appropriations for FY2002(H.R. 2506; P.L. 107-
115). The President may use the waiver authority if he certifies that U.S. aid supports U.S.
counter-terrorism efforts, supports the operational readiness of the armed forces, is important
for Azerbaijan's border security, and will not harm NK peace talks or be used for offensive
purposes against Armenia. The waiver may be renewed annually, and sixty days after the
exercise of the waiver authority, the President must report to Congress on the nature of aid
to be provided to Azerbaijan, the status of the military balance between Armenia and
Azerbaijan and the effects of U.S. aid on that balance, the status of peace talks between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the effects of U.S. aid on those talks. Days after being signedCRS-2
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Nichol, Jim. Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia: Political Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests, report, July 22, 2005; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs6895/m1/5/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.