It's Official: U.S. Extends The Waiver Of Section 907

A State Department notice published in the latest issue of the Federal Register  indicates that U.S. has extended the waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act with respect to assistance to Azerbaijan, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

The formal authority of freezing 907, which bans any kind of direct U.S. aid to Azerbaijan, was signed by Brian McKeon, deputy secretary of state for Management and Resources, according to official records.

Extension of Waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act With Respect to Assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan

Pursuant to the authority contained in  title II of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2002 (Pub. L. 107– 115), E.O. 12163, as amended by E.O.

13346, and pursuant to Delegation of Authority 513, I hereby determine and certify that extending the waiver of section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102–511) with respect to Azerbaijan:

* is necessary to support U.S. efforts to counter international terrorism; or

* is necessary to support the operational readiness of United States

Armed Forces or coalition partners to counter international terrorism; or

* is important to Azerbaijan’s border security; and

* will not undermine or hamper ongoing efforts to negotiate a peaceful

settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan or be used for offensive

purposes against Armenia.

Accordingly, I hereby extend the waiver of section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act. This Determination shall be published in the Federal Register, and the Determination and Memorandum of Justification shall be provided to the appropriate committees in Congress.

Dated: June 21, 2022.

*The U.S. Congress adopted Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. After 9/11, the Congress passed legislation as part of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill granting the President the authority to waive it, and all previous U.S. Administrations have gone along with it since 2002.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.