USA, Washington, July 21 / Trend N. Bogdanova /
The US Congress Working Group on Azerbaijan is calling for the annulment of the 907th amendment, Pennsylvania state congressman and member of the U.S Congress Working Group on Azerbaijan Bill Shuster said.
"The 907th amendment is important to me. Therefore both me and the US Congress Working Group on Azerbaijan has called for the annulment of this amendment. I will work on this important issue," Shuster said.
In October 1992 the US Congress approved the Law Act supporting freedom in regulating the distribution of state aid to former Soviet Republics.
The U.S government was forbidden to render aid to official Azerbaijani organizations by the 907th amendment. The effect of 907th amendment has been suspended by the U.S president on an annual basis starting from 2002 in accordance with privileges given by Congress in 2001. The effect of the 907th amendment has been suspended for 2009.
Regarding talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Shuster said that diplomacy is an important tool in the process of conflict settlement.
"All existing paths must be considered to achieve a peaceful settlement of the conflict," Shuster said.
He said that a readiness on all sides to work together for a peaceful settlement of the conflict is providing hope.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7 districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.