US Temporarily Suspends Arms Embargo on Azerbaijan: Report

The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has approved a waiver extension for Section 907 to authorize direct US aid to the Azerbaijani government, a State Department Spokesperson confirmed to PanARMENIAN.Net, the latter reported. The extension went into effect on April 26, the spokesperson said.

Section 907 of the United States Freedom Support Act was adopted in 1992 to ban direct US aid to Azerbaijan unless the latter takes "demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)]." But the Congress amended Section 907 in 2002 to allow the president to waive the provision and authorize military aid to Azerbaijan.

"The United States values its strategic partnership with Azerbaijan," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

"The United States has provided over $1.5 billion in bilateral assistance for Azerbaijan since 1992, including over $6 million in Covid-19-related assistance and nearly $10 million of bilateral assistance in 2020."