AMERICAN EXPERTS URGE THE GOVERNMENT TO LIFT SECTION 907 IMPOSED AGAINST AZERBAIJAN
APA
May 15 2009
Azerbaijan
Washington. Zaur Hasanov -APA. US Carnegie Foundation hosted the
conference entitled "Azerbaijan and the West: strategic alliance
in the Eurasian corridors" organized by the Jamestown Foundation,
APA US bureau reports.
Professor of the University of Haifa Brenda Shaffer, Vice President
of the Cohen Group Daniel Fata and senior expert of the Jamestown
Foundation Vladimir Socor addressed the conference and spoke about
the regional and global role of Azerbaijan.
Vladimir Socor said the United States should be involved in
more directions of activity in Azerbaijan, from the treatment of
soldiers wounded in Afghanistan to deeper military cooperation. In
his opinion, US military and other forces in the territory will
restrict the opportunities of third forces to interfere in the policy
of Azerbaijan. Socor urged the US government to lift Section 907 to
Freedom Support Act and said the opening of Turkey-Armenia borders
would not contribute to the interests of both Baku and Washington. The
expert said Armenia occupied the territories of Azerbaijan and executed
large-scale ethnic cleansing operations there, but the Congress took
injustice position against Azerbaijan. The expert said US high-ranking
officials didn’t visit Azerbaijan and US Secretary of State visited
Baku last time in 1992. At the end of his speech Socor called on the
leading countries to support the Southern Energy Corridor.
Professor of the University of Haifa, Ms. Brenda Shaffer drew
attention to the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territories,
displacement of one million people and added that despite this,
terror was not spread in Azerbaijan.
"But we witness such a reality in Iraq and Afghanistan," she said.
Ms. Shaffer said official Baku might give valuable recommendations
to the White House in a number of issues, including cooperation with
Iran. Professor of the University of Haifa said Section 907 of the
Freedom Support Act should be cancelled, improvement of Turkey-Armenia
relations should not damage the interests of Azerbaijan. According
to her, the region will be much closer to war, in case the borders
are opened.
Daniel Fata, vice-president of the Cohen Group, who had been
responsible for the relations with Azerbaijan in Pentagon for a long
time, said Azerbaijan was an important energy provider, contributed
much to the struggle against terror. Daniel Fata said Section 907
of the Freedom Support Act was injustice in exchange for official
Baku’s support for coalition forces. Mr. Fata underlined that the
Strategic Alliance agreement signed between the US and Georgia should
also be signed with Azerbaijan. He wanted NATO-Azerbaijan Council to
be established.
President of Jamestown Foundation Glen Howard chaired the
conference. Rector of Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy Hafiz Pashayev,
Azerbaijani ambassador to the US Yashar Aliyev and officers of the
embassy attended the conference.