U.S. CONGRESS HELD HEARINGS ON “CAUCASUS: FROZEN CONFLICTS AND CLOSED BORDERS”
Hearings “The Caucasus: Frozen Conflicts and Closed Borders” were held in the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs on June 18.
Co-chairman of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus Bill Shuster told of Azerbaijan’s fruitful cooperation with the United States in global energy security and fighting terrorism. He called on the US government to increase its mediation efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. According to him, the conflict settlement will create opportunities for regional cooperation.
Mr. Shuster stressed the necessity of the abolishment of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act as it impedes the US-Azerbaijan relations.
Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman from California Howard L. Berman said Armenia has been dependent on Russia and Iran due to Turkey’s blockade against it since 1993. According to him, this situation will not help to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Dan Fried spoke of the situation in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia. He said “we have welcomed our progress with Azerbaijan in recent years on issues of security cooperation and diversification of energy supplies and pipelines, and have good, productive relations with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
We value Azerbaijan’s troop contributions - 150 soldiers in Iraq and 45 in Afghanistan; President Aliyev’s recent promise to double the troop level in Afghanistan would put Azerbaijan’s troop strength up around 90.
Azerbaijan has also contributed to NATO’s peacekeeping force in Kosovo. We appreciate Azerbaijan’s steady offer of unlimited, free over flight and landing rights for our supply network for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. This cooperation has proceeded in parallel with advances in Azerbaijan’s relations with NATO.
Azerbaijan has now adopted its second Individual Partnership Action Plan, demonstrating to NATO and the United States its commitment to reforming its armed services and cooperation with the transatlantic alliance. Azerbaijan has also taken decisive steps to combat terrorism by rounding up terrorist networks in Azerbaijan.
In the area of energy, Azerbaijan is emerging as one of Europe’s critical, near-term alternative sources of natural gas. Azerbaijani gas can open the way for a new network of pipelines that will help the market, rather than a monopoly, determine the price and availability of a critical commodity. As Azerbaijan has developed a strong role as an energy source, it is also maintaining constructive relations with Russia and its neighbors on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, and with Georgia.
Azerbaijan has had the world’s fastest growing economy for three consecutive years.
The government has stated its intention to avoid what some call "the energy trap" and its State Oil Fund has helped it manage energy revenues.
The Azerbaijani government has taken steps to improve the business environment by implementing a "one-stop shop" for registration of new businesses.
Democracy has been part of Azerbaijan’s tradition. In its brief period of independence, Azerbaijan established a democratic constitution, and Azerbaijan has an opportunity to build on that proud tradition as its next Presidential election approaches this October.
Five journalists were released by presidential pardon in December 2007, which we welcomed.
We are working with Azerbaijan to improve journalists’ professional and ethical standards. During my last visit to Baku, I met with young journalism students studying in an independent institution. I was impressed by their patriotism and simultaneous commitment to democracy. We note that Parliament recently passed a new law on public assembly with some welcome features.
One of Azerbaijan’s greatest challenges is to find a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. The United States, in its role as co-Chair of the Minsk Group alongside our French and Russian colleagues, continues to actively pursue a diplomatic resolution of this problem. We support Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, and Nagorno-Karabakh’s final status must be determined through negotiations and a spirit of compromise that respects international legal and political principles. An important step forward was taken by President Aliyev and Armenian President Sarkisian when they met for the first time in St. Petersburg on June 6 to discuss the resolution of the conflict, after which they met with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to working within the Minsk process and expressed their readiness to continue discussions on the "Basic Principles," a document developed under the auspices of the Minsk Group.
In sum, Azerbaijan has the opportunity to accelerate its economic and political development, to build on its successes in establishing good relations in its region, and to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute”.
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