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Legislation repealing Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions on Azerbaijan introduced to U.S. Congress

05 June 2009 07:28 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijani embassy in Washington told APAâ€™s US bureau about it. The congressmen believe that Azerbaijan, which is a strategic security and energy partner of the United States, has long met its obligations to comply with freedom of emigration requirements and that Congress should remove Jackson-Vanik requirements for Azerbaijan.

According to the 1974 Trade Act of the United States, the Jackson-Vanik amendment denied most favored nation to certain countries with non-market economies that restricted emigration rights.

â€œI strongly support repealing Jackson-Vanik for Azerbaijan, one of Americaâ€™s most important strategic allies in the Caucasus region, which has met all obligations to comply with freedom of emigration requirements and continues to ensure that these commitments are fulfilled,â€ Congressman Wexler said. â€œPassage of this legislation would send a strong signal to Azerbaijan about American intention to enhance relations and cooperation in a number of key areas, including energy security, counter-terrorism cooperation and trade.â€

â€œAs the Co-Chair of the House Caucus on Azerbaijan, I look forward to working with Chairman Wexler to improve our strategic relationship with Azerbaijan,â€ Congressman Shuster said.

â€œAzerbaijan is an indispensable ally in the fight against terrorism. Additionally, Azerbaijan is bordered by Russia to the north and Iran to the south, which makes it an essential strategic ally. Azerbaijan also has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and will continue to play an important role as a trade partner in the Caucuses. This legislation is critical to allowing our relationship to prosper and grow,â€ Shuster said.