Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 1 /Trend, T.Konyayeva/
After Republicans come to power in the U.S., Azerbaijan may have a chance to repeal the section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, said a member of the Trend Expert Council Vladimir Sokor.
"After Republicans come to power in the U.S., a good chance appears to cancel the section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, said senior fellow of Jamestown Foundation (Washington) Sokor said Wednesday at the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of Azerbaijan.
In October 1992, Congress passed the "Freedom Support Act," regulating state aid to former Soviet republics.
The U.S. government was forbidden to render aid to official Azerbaijani organizations by the 907th Section. The 907th Section was later suspended on what would be an annual basis in 2002 in accordance with new privileges received from Congress in 2001.
In addition, according to Sokor, administration of Republicans can return to a strategic approach for the South Caucasus region, which was conducted several years ago.
"U.S. policy in the South Caucasus region is best implemented as part of broader U.S. politics toward Europe," he said.
According to Sokor, Democrats pursued the most successful policy for the region during the second term of the Clinton administration when the U.S. laid the groundwork for a strategic approach to the South Caucasus region.
He believes that during the second term of the Clinton administration and first term of George W. Bush administration, the U.S. viewed the South Caucasus and Europe as part of one whole, and the Caspian Sea basin - as a source of energy for Europe.
"Thus, an integrated policy was conducted towards Europe and South Caucasus, which lost its significance for the United States during the second presidential term of Bush," he said.
According to Sokor, during his second presidential term, Bush gradually shifted the focus from the South Caucasus region to Afghanistan, Iraq and the confrontation with Iran.
In his turn, Barack Obama totally missed the sight of Europe in his foreign policy, American political analyst said.
"In the history of the United States, it is the first administration, in whose foreign policy Europe does not occupy a central place, he said. - Therefore, the strategy for the South Caucasus suffered as well. If Europe is not so important for the United States, then logically the South Caucasus is not so important as well, although the Caspian Sea is a source of energy for American allies in Europe".
Sokor believes that the current situation may be changed by the Republicans.
"In addition, the output from the current situation depends on whether the United States withdraws its troops from Afghanistan and Iraq and solve its problems with Iran, he said. - If Washington continues immersing in these issues and spending its monies then the U.S. will pay less attention and resources to Europe and Caucasus."
According to him, if the Republicans arrange right priorities, the situation can be expected to improve.
"This is an issue of prioritization, which now has been arranged incorrectly: in comparison with Europe and the Southern Caucasus, on the daily agenda, Afghanistan and Iraq are much more important for the United States," said Sokor.