Waiver of Statutory Restrictions To Permit Assistance to Turkey

President Clinton waived statutory restrictions under Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to permit continued U.S. assistance to Turkey despite Turkey's closure of its land border with Armenia. The determination cites Turkey's strategic importance for NATO operations, regional stability, Caspian energy routes, and multiple U.S. national security interests in Eurasia and the Middle East.

Federal Register Open PDF 62 FR 30737

Impact dates

Date TBD
Arrange for Federal Register publication
Date TBD
Transmit determination and justification to Congress

Key directives

Determine that furnishing assistance to Turkey without regard to Section 620I(a) restriction is in national security interest
Transmit determination and justification to Congress
Arrange for publication in Federal Register

Who is ordered

Secretary of State · State Department

Timeline

Immediate

Waiver takes effect upon determination date May 23, 1997
Assistance to Turkey continues without interruption

Near term (90d)

Secretary of State to transmit determination and justification to Congress
Publication in Federal Register arranged

Long term

Continued U.S.-Turkey bilateral relations
Ongoing NATO operations from Incirlik
Prospects for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution
Potential future reopening of Turkey-Armenia land border

Risks & tensions

Balances human rights/humanitarian corridor goals against strategic alliance needs
Turkey's closed land border with Armenia technically triggers Section 620I restriction
Ethnic kinship Turkey-Azerbaijan creates pressure vs. Armenia relations
Document notes 'strong feelings' and 'public pressures' but Turkey resisted direct Nagorno-Karabakh involvement
Justification emphasizes Turkey's democratic, secular character in unstable region—implicit contrast with neighbors