Ïðàî ûáîðà, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
April 14 2006

“Echo”: Armenian Lobbyists Change Position
14.04.2006

James Kolbe thanked Azerbaijan for partnership in anti terror
coalition

“Let me express gratitude of American nation to Azerbaijan nation for
partnership in anti terror coalition”. James Kolbe, US Congressman
from Arizona State, Chairman of Sub-Committee for External Affairs of
the House of Representatives of US Congress stated at the
press-conference. He underlined that Azerbaijan sent its peace-makers
to Afghanistan and Iraq, and also gave the right of flight all along
its air space and landing in its territory.
Talking of the settlement of Nagorno-Garabagh conflict, James Kolbe
reminded that the United States are one of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group, and urged for signing long-term just peace that could
set up conditions for development and prosperity of the region. He
also expressed a confidence that Azerbaijan President’s visit to
Azerbaijan will demonstrate development of US-Azerbaijan
relationship.
But journalists were interested with another: reportedly
well-informed sources, in due time James Kolbe was one of the
co-authors of the 907 Amendment “tied hands” of the Washington to
develop bilateral relations with Azerbaijan that called by Kolbe
himself as strategic ally of the US. At the instance of “Echo”
commenting this point James Kolbe hastened to assure that his role in
adoption of 907 Amendment “had been exaggerated a little” and
underlined that for the last five years he always voted for support
of the US Administration’s proposal concerning to suspend 907
Amendment. Demonstration of “change of positions” of the most
Armenian lobbyists in US Congress turned out more impressive.
James Kolbe did not exclude that the issue relating elimination of
907 Amendment will be discussed pending Azerbaijan President’s visit
to US, but underlined that last word is behind the US Congress. At
the same time, he said that one of the ways for elimination of 907
Amendment should be the conflict settlement.
James Kolbe also commented the fact that differing from Armenia and
Georgia Azerbaijan was not included to the Millennium Challenge
Programme. James Kolbe emphasized that no projects being implemented
within the framework of Millennium Challenge Programme concern
Nagorno-Garabagh. According to him, he took an active part in project
development that should give a new direction to US financial aid
abroad. According to him, annually, 6-7 new countries are included to
the Programme, and the main criterion of choice is efficiency of
national power branches. The corruption level determined by the
Congress on the basis of estimation of independent experts plays a
leading role.
At the instance of journalists James Kolbe commented the fact that US
Congress is not concern with reinforcement of neo-authoritarian
tendencies in Russian policy towards newly-established States. As
stated James Kolbe, the United States are, mostly, concerned with
political and economic aspect of this point rather military, and
assured of that Washington is ready to support political and economic
independence of the newly-established countries in the region,
including Azerbaijan.