The visit of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the United States carries historic significance on multiple levels, News.Az reports citing APA.
The documents set to be signed during the visit send important messages about its historic importance.
This visit paves the way for a qualitatively new phase in U.S.-Azerbaijan relations.
The existing cooperation is now progressing toward a strategic partnership.
Establishment of a strategic working group
The clearest indication of this is the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the United States of America on the Establishment of a Strategic Working Group to Develop the Charter on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United States of America, which will be signed during the visit.
This Memorandum will establish a new Strategic Working Group.
The Strategic Working Group will focus on three main areas of the U.S.-Azerbaijan strategic partnership:
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Regional connectivity, which includes energy, trade, and transit;
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Economic investment, including artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure;
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Security cooperation, including defense sales and joint efforts in combating terrorism.
The newly established group will work on expanding regional connectivity infrastructure, boosting energy investments, advancing regional economic and trade cooperation, and supporting the development of artificial intelligence.
The U.S.-Azerbaijan strategic partnership signifies an influx of American technology and investment into Azerbaijan, as well as increased U.S. economic activity in the region.
What will the joint declaration include?
It is expected that a Joint Declaration will be signed during the visit between President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, with U.S. President Donald Trump as a witness.
Reportedly, the Declaration will include a joint appeal to the OSCE Secretary General for the dissolution of the Minsk Group.
Furthermore, after the initialing of the Agreement on the Establishment of Interstate Relations and Peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Declaration will recognize the need to take “further steps to ensure the signing and ratification” of the said agreement.
This implies recognition of the second key requirement for the peace agreement: amending the Armenian Constitution.
Another important issue in the Declaration is the confirmation of the right to unobstructed land passage between the mainland of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
This, in essence, signals the realization of the Zangezur Corridor.
Peace agreement text to be initialed
Another key development expected during President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the United States is the initialing of the “Agreement on the Establishment of Interstate Relations and Peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia.”
In short, this means that both parties have reached a consensus on all provisions of the peace agreement and have agreed on its content.
This document shows that both sides are prepared to move forward toward signing a fully binding legal peace treaty.
Section 907 to be suspended
It is also expected that U.S. President Donald Trump will sign a document suspending the implementation of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.
It should be noted that Section 907, adopted by the U.S. Congress in 1992, was an unfair legislative act that contradicted Azerbaijan’s interests. It prohibited direct U.S. government assistance to Azerbaijan.
One of the key indicators that U.S.-Azerbaijan relations are shifting from cooperation to strategic partnership is the elimination of this injustice after 33 years.
