Section 907
Encyclopedia
Section 907 of the United States
Freedom Support Act
bans any kind of direct United States aid
to the Azerbaijan
i government. This ban makes Azerbaijan the only exception to the countries of the former Soviet Union
, to receive direct aid from United States government under the Freedom Support Act to facilitate economic and political stability..
The Act was strongly lobbied for by the Armenian American community in the US, and was passed in response to Azerbaijan's blockade of Armenia. which was at full scale war
with Azerbaijan over the predominantly Armenian populated Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. Since 1994 cease-fire agreement Nagorno Karabakh has established a de-facto independent republic, which is not recognized by any country.
On October 24, 2001, the Senate
adopted a waiver of section 907 that would provide the President
with ability to waiver the Section 907. He has done so since then.
Washington DC, 24 October 1992
Sec. 907. RESTRICTION ON ASSISTANCE TO AZERBAIJAN.
RESTRICTIONS - United States assistance under this or any other Act (other than assistance under title V of this Act) may not be provided to the Government of Azerbaijan until the President determines, and so reports to the Congress, that the Government of Azerbaijan is taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
WAIVER- The restriction on assistance in subsection (a) shall not apply if the President determines, and so certifies to Congress, that the application of the restriction would not be in the national interests of the United States.
(2) The President may waive section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act if he determines and certifies to the Committees on Appropriations that to do so-- is necessary to support United States efforts to counter international terrorism; or is necessary to support the operational readiness of United States Armed Forces or coalition partners to counter international terrorism; or is important to Azerbaijan's border security; and will not undermine or hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan or be used for offensive purposes against Armenia.
(3) The authority of paragraph (2) may only be exercised through December 31, 2002.
(4) The President may extend the waiver authority provided in paragraph (2) on an annual basis on or after December 31, 2002 if he determines and certifies to the Committees on Appropriations in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2).
(5) The Committees on Appropriations shall be consulted prior to the provision of any assistance made available pursuant to paragraph (2).
(6) Within 60 days of any exercise of the authority under paragraph (2) the President shall send a report to the appropriate congressional committees specifying in detail the following-- the nature and quantity of all training and assistance provided to the Government of Azerbaijan pursuant to paragraph (2); the status of the military balance between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the impact of United States assistance on that balance; and the status of negotiations for a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the impact of United States assistance on those negotiations.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Freedom Support Act
Freedom Support Act
The FREEDOM Support Act of 1992 is an act passed by the United States Congress. It is not to be confused with the Iran Freedom and Support Act of 2005 ....
bans any kind of direct United States aid
Aid
In international relations, aid is a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another, given at least partly with the objective of benefiting the recipient country....
to the Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i government. This ban makes Azerbaijan the only exception to the countries of the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, to receive direct aid from United States government under the Freedom Support Act to facilitate economic and political stability..
The Act was strongly lobbied for by the Armenian American community in the US, and was passed in response to Azerbaijan's blockade of Armenia. which was at full scale war
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
with Azerbaijan over the predominantly Armenian populated Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. Since 1994 cease-fire agreement Nagorno Karabakh has established a de-facto independent republic, which is not recognized by any country.
On October 24, 2001, the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
adopted a waiver of section 907 that would provide the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
with ability to waiver the Section 907. He has done so since then.
Text of Section 907
Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act (Public Law 102-511)Washington DC, 24 October 1992
Sec. 907. RESTRICTION ON ASSISTANCE TO AZERBAIJAN.
RESTRICTIONS - United States assistance under this or any other Act (other than assistance under title V of this Act) may not be provided to the Government of Azerbaijan until the President determines, and so reports to the Congress, that the Government of Azerbaijan is taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
WAIVER- The restriction on assistance in subsection (a) shall not apply if the President determines, and so certifies to Congress, that the application of the restriction would not be in the national interests of the United States.
Text of the Public Law 107-115
(1) Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act shall not apply to-- activities to support democracy or assistance under title V of the FREEDOM Support Act and section 1424 of Public Law 104-201 or non-proliferation assistance; any assistance provided by the Trade and Development Agency under section 661 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2421); any activity carried out by a member of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service while acting within his or her official capacity; any insurance, reinsurance, guarantee or other assistance provided by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation under title IV of chapter 2 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2191 et seq.); any financing provided under the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945; or humanitarian assistance.(2) The President may waive section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act if he determines and certifies to the Committees on Appropriations that to do so-- is necessary to support United States efforts to counter international terrorism; or is necessary to support the operational readiness of United States Armed Forces or coalition partners to counter international terrorism; or is important to Azerbaijan's border security; and will not undermine or hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan or be used for offensive purposes against Armenia.
(3) The authority of paragraph (2) may only be exercised through December 31, 2002.
(4) The President may extend the waiver authority provided in paragraph (2) on an annual basis on or after December 31, 2002 if he determines and certifies to the Committees on Appropriations in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2).
(5) The Committees on Appropriations shall be consulted prior to the provision of any assistance made available pursuant to paragraph (2).
(6) Within 60 days of any exercise of the authority under paragraph (2) the President shall send a report to the appropriate congressional committees specifying in detail the following-- the nature and quantity of all training and assistance provided to the Government of Azerbaijan pursuant to paragraph (2); the status of the military balance between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the impact of United States assistance on that balance; and the status of negotiations for a peaceful settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the impact of United States assistance on those negotiations.