President Bush has lifted sanctions against Azerbaijan.

In a statement, the White House says that on January 25, 2002, President Bush waived Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act for 2002, thereby lifting restrictions on U.S. government assistance to the government of Azerbaijan.

According to the statement, the waiver clears the way for the United States to deepen its cooperation with Azerbaijan in fighting international terrorism and strengthen security cooperation with neighboring Armenia on a common anti-terrorist agenda.

The statement also says the waiver marks an important step toward advancing a new web of U.S. security relationships with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. It says Washington intends to build upon these developing ties to deter resumed hostilities between the two countries over Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed majority Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan.

The United States imposed the sanctions against Azerbaijan in 1992 after its government imposed a blockade on Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in an undeclared state of war over Nagorno-Karabakh since 1991, when the enclave declared unilateral independence from Azerbaijan, starting a bitter war that claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire in 1994, but are still negotiating a permanent peace.

Some information for this report provided by AFP.

Email this article to a friend
Printer Friendly Version