Washington breakthrough: what will the suspension of Section 907 give to Azerbaijan and the USA?

In the world of diplomacy, there are sometimes moments that can be called turning points. For Azerbaijan, such an event occurred in Washington on August 8. On this day, Presidents Donald Trump and Ilham Aliyev announced not only the signing of a Joint Declaration, but also that the US was removing one of the most offensive political labels from Baku - the notorious Section 907 amendment.

Amendment 907 to the Freedom Support Act, adopted in 1992, was a unique precedent: it prohibited direct assistance to the government of Azerbaijan, making it the only post-Soviet state that the US officially denied economic support. The reason was the accusation against Baku of "blockading Armenia" at the height of the first Karabakh war. At the time when Armenian armed forces occupied Azerbaijani territories. In reality, the initiative had a powerful lobbying source in the form of Armenian-American organizations, which at that time held strong positions in Congress.

For three decades, the amendment lived its political life. For Azerbaijan, this was not just a restriction - it was a signal that Washington officially classified it as a "problematic" partner, writes the newspaper "Caspian".

Why the cancellation is especially significant today

By this year, the geopolitical map of the South Caucasus has changed. The Karabakh conflict ended in favor of Azerbaijan, the country's economic dynamics accelerated, and energy projects - from Caspian oil to green generation - have become an important part of global projects. Nevertheless, the 907th amendment remained a brake on relations with the United States, reminiscent of the 90s.

And now US President Donald Trump signed a document suspending Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act on August 8 during the visit of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev to Washington.

President Ilham Aliyev called the cancellation of the 907th amendment a historic event, and the signing of the corresponding document - symbolic.

"The signing of the document on the cancellation of this unfair 907th amendment to the Freedom Support Act in the Oval Office in my presence has a very symbolic meaning. President Trump could have done this in another form. He could have signed the document later, but decided to do it in the presence of the President of Azerbaijan - a country that was unfairly sanctioned by Congress in 1992, in October 1992," said President Ilham Aliyev in an interview with representatives of Azerbaijani media in Washington.

The cancellation of this amendment is not just a gesture of goodwill. It is a diplomatic reset of relations, elevating Baku to the category of full-fledged strategic partners of America.

"Today, a new page opens in US-Azerbaijani relations, a page of cooperation and strategic partnership. Of course, establishing relations with the United States of America at such a level is a very important issue for protecting the national interests of Azerbaijan," said President Ilham Aliyev.

What will this give Azerbaijan?

The cancellation of the amendment and the new level of partnership with the US can give a powerful impetus to economic development. Investment guarantees, infrastructure development programs - all this is now available without bureaucratic barriers. American corporations will receive a signal that working in Azerbaijan is safe and promising. Future areas of cooperation cover mutual investment, energy, transport communications, transit, security, artificial intelligence and other issues. The Memorandum of Cooperation between Exxon and SOCAR signed in Washington on August 7 will lead to the implementation of a significant project.

Lifting restrictions will also allow cooperation with the US in the field of modernization of the Armed Forces, cyber defense, etc. This will