Presidential Determination on Extending Waiver of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act with Respect to Assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan

President Bush extended a waiver of Section 907 of the 1992 FREEDOM Support Act, which had banned direct U.S. government assistance to Azerbaijan. The waiver was justified by counterterrorism needs, operational readiness of U.S. and coalition forces, Azerbaijan's border security, and assurances it would not be used offensively against Armenia or undermine peace negotiations.

Federal Register Open PDF 68 FR 3803

Impact dates

Jan 17, 2003
Notification to Congress and Federal Register arrangement

Key directives

Extend waiver of Section 907 of FREEDOM Support Act
Notify Congress of determination
Arrange publication in Federal Register

Who is ordered

Secretary of State · Department of State

Timeline

Immediate

Waiver of Section 907 extended upon signing
Secretary of State directed to notify Congress
Federal Register publication arranged

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

Continued U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan contingent on annual or periodic waiver renewals
Ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan peace negotiation dynamics affected

Risks & tensions

Waiver conditions include subjective assessment that aid 'will not undermine' peace talks or be used 'for offensive purposes against Armenia'—compliance is not independently verifiable in text
Annual/periodic nature of waiver creates recurring leverage point but also policy uncertainty
Balances support for Azerbaijan against Armenian-American political interests and regional stability concerns