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| AZERBAIJAN SEEKING SENATE REPEAL OF SECTION 907
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| UPDATE: Section 907 vote in the Senate as Early As Tuesday 10/2. |
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Current
Status |
Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act is currently under attack by Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliyev, who is seeking to exploit the September 11th terrorist attacks against America to pressure the U.S. government into repealing this long-standing provision of law.
Apparently, Aliyev, a former KGB general and Soviet politburo member, is trying to exchange the repeal Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act for his nation's cooperation in our country's campaign against terrorism.
In the Senate:
Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), a long-time vocal opponent of Section 907, has indicated that he will introduce an amendment to the Defense Authorization (S.1438) bill to repeal Section 907. A vote on his amendment can take place as early as Monday October 1st.
You can monitor this legislation on C-SPAN2.
In the House:
The Congressional Armenian Caucus is currently circulating a letter asking their U.S. House colleagues to co-sign a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell in defense of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.
Due to the immediate need to send this letter out, House members are being asked to sign the letter by 2:00 pm on Monday, October 1st.
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Last Updated: 10/2/01 |
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What
You Can Do |
| 1) Send a free ANCA Webfax to your Senators and Representatives. Both letters encourage Senators/Representatives to vote against any effort to repeal Section 907.
2) Phone calls are very effective. If you would prefer to share your views over the phone, during regular business hours, please call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 225-3121 and ask to be connected to your Members of Congress. A Sample Phone Scripts for Senators is provided below.
Sample Phone Script for Senators:
[The phone will be answered by a receptionist. Ask to speak to the staff member who is responsible for foreign affairs. If he or she is not available, please leave a written or voice-mail message.]
Hello, my name is _________________. (Give your address.)
I am calling to ask the Senator to maintain Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. It is my understanding that Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas has indicated that he may introduce an amendment against Section 907 during consideration of the Defense Authorization bill.
During this time of national crisis, I am deeply troubled that the President of Azerbaijan, former KGB general Geidar Aliyev, is trying to exploit the September 11th terrorist attack to advance his own narrow interests.
We should not compromise our values under pressure from corrupt and undemocratic foreign governments, particularly one that has been identified as being one of thirty-four states in which supporters of bin-Laden are believed to be operating.
Thank you for your attention to my concerns.
Background on Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act:
The horrific terrorist attacks of September 11th were directed straight at the heart of America - our values, our form of government, and our leadership among the community of nations.
In the wake of this terrible attack against our nation, it has become clear that Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliyev, a former KGB general and Soviet politburo member, is seeking to exploit this tragedy to advance his own narrow interests. The Azerbaijani government is apparently pressuring the United States to repeal Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act in exchange his nation's cooperation in our campaign against terrorism.
Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act was adopted by Congress and signed into law by President Bush in 1992 as a concrete manifestation of our nation's enduring belief in open borders, free trade, and the peaceful resolution of regional conflicts. While this provision of law restricts certain types of direct U.S. aid to the government of Azerbaijan until it lifts its blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, it does not prevent humanitarian, democracy-building, anti-crime, and anti-proliferation assistance.
For the past nine years, Section 907 has stood as our government's most powerful statement against Azerbaijan's crippling blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
Azerbaijan Seeking to Exploit Terrorist Tragedy:
* Azerbaijani President Geidar Aliyev must not be allowed to exploit the terrorist attacks against the United States to force the repeal of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.
* Azerbaijan should offer its support unconditionally for the international campaign against terrorism.
* We should not trade our values and long-term interests in deals with dictators. Doing so would only play into the hands of the terrorists who are trying to destroy everything that we stand for as a nation - freedom, fairness, and democracy.
Azerbaijan's Terrorist Connection:
* We should not reward Azerbaijan, which has been identified as one of thirty-four states in which supporters of Osama bin-Laden are believed to be operating.
* Toronto's "Globe and Mail" newspaper has reported that the Canadian government has placed Azerbaijan on its list of "terrorist training centres." (Toronto Globe & Mail, "Border alert targets pilots: Canadian guards told to watch for men with technical training and links to 16 'conflict' countries," Wednesday, September 19, 2001)
* According to Yossef Bodansky, former staff director of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, "An ongoing study by Defense & Foreign Affairs has cited a significant number of highly-placed sources in Russia and the Caucasus who advise that radical Islamist forces are expanding their infrastructure in Azerbaijan in preparation for a sustained escalation... Planned terrorist "spectaculars" include the use of suicide bombers." (Defense & Foreign Affairs' Strategic Policy, "The New Azerbaijan Hub: How Islamist operations are targeting Russia, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh," October 1999)
* “The Islamists basically agreed with the Azerbaijan Government of Gaydar Aliyev that they would - in exchange for allowing a free flow of people, weapons and ordnance through Azerbaijan - not interfere with or overthrow the Aliyev Government. As well, they committed to providing outside mujahedin to undertake operations against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh which could be credibly denied by the Aliyev Government.” (Defense & Foreign Affairs' Strategic Policy, "The New Azerbaijan Hub: How Islamist operations are targeting Russia, Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh," October 1999)
The Administration and Congress Should
Call on Azerbaijan to Lift its Blockades:
* This is exactly the wrong time for the U.S. Congress to retreat from the principled stand that Section 907 represents for open borders, free trade, and economic integration in the Caucasus region. More than ever, it is vital for open borders and unhindered transportation through this important region.
* During this time of crisis, the Administration and Congress should call on Azerbaijan to demonstrate that it is a responsible member of the international community by lifting its illegal blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
Azerbaijan Destabilizing the Region:
* In the months following the promising Key West summit, Azerbaijan has single-handedly stalled the OSCE's Nagorno Karabagh peace process.
* Azerbaijan has dramatically escalated its rhetoric threatening a return to hostilities in Nagorno Karabagh. |
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