Because of living under the pressure of Soviet regime more than 70 years, Azerbaijan has attached importance to the relations between USA perceived as a democratic state after the independence; however, until the mid-1990s, Azerbaijan had some problems with this country to put relations right. Despite this, relations with these two states made serious progresses with energy, regional and international security, cooperation against the international terrorism, within the framework of NATO participation in peacekeeping force of Iraq, Kosovo( after the declaration of Kosovo's independence, Azerbaijan withdrew its peacekeeping force), Afghanistan. Although there have been some problems for relations between two countries until 2010, these problems have not been serious to tarnish the cooperation between two states. However, this situation has changed lately.
While evaluating Azerbaijan- US relations, firstly foreign policy and security understanding of USA should be evaluated. The legislation of US Government which is known as additional item (Section 907 Freedom Support Act)directly prohibiting economic, financial and humanitarian aid to Azerbaijan should be addressed.
Another subject of assessment is the approach of USA to saving the Azerbaijan territories occupied by Armenia. USA is the cochairman of OSCE Minsk Group which operates for termination of Azerbaijan territories occupied by Armenia. Although Azerbaijan does not complain about the activities of OSCE Minsk Group, attitudes of Minsk Group co-states (US, Russia and France)who make mediation attempt evaluated as negative by Baku can be summarize as:
- Not to make pressure to Armenia for saving Azerbaijan territories from occupation,
- On the contrary giving every kind of aid and support,
- Applying pressure not to Armenia who practices revisionist politics against Turkey and Azerbaijan and also accuses of Turkey for making so-called genocide, but Turkey
- Wanting compensation from Azerbaijan whose territories were occupied,
These have tightened Azerbaijan- U.S relations.
After the truth which Minsk Group's approximately 20-years-activity is inconclusive and there was no idea about sanctions against occupant Armenia has emerged, Azerbaijan opened a discussion about functionality of Minsk Group.
Philosophy of U.S Foreign and Security Policy
While U.S is preparing the list of terror supporting states, the USA describes the states which are thought to damage its national interests as the supporting states of terrorist organization, not describe the states which threaten the international security, the USA has applied economic and political sanctions to these states. It is ignored that the other states are facing terrorism problems. If the USA assumed the role of being a state providing security in the international arena, and if it took into consideration national interests of the other states with its own interests due to political ethics, its prestige and credibility in the international arena would increase.
The United States came to Middle East from beyond the Atlantic in order to block Saddam Hussein to get weapons of mass destruction, and invaded Iraq. Invading Afghanistan which is at the heart of energy reserves in the Middle East and which is thousands of kilometers away from with pretexts that there are weapons of mass destruction there although it is never threatened seriously that country declaring a political will to be a hegemonic state and having difficulties in maintaining peace and security" that it promised for that country as well, accidently killing innocent people more than terrorists but on the other hand coming closer and closer to Russia and China, the USA imposes that Azerbaijan, %20 of which territories were invaded Armenia not use military power for the resolution of the crisis This is truly an two- sided approach. While the USA has applied sanctions against the states which support terrorism, the USA provides financial aid to Armenia and allows so-called Nagorno- Karabakh Republic to open representative offices in the USA. This situation compromises to the force of U.S, sense of justice, mediation attempts and the importance for democratic values.
Although the USA wants to see Turkey and Azerbaijan with its side for the possible military operations against Iraq, to use Incirlik (Turkey) military base in military operations against Iraq, and to establish mobile military base in Azerbaijan, it does not want such demands from Armenia despite having border with Iran. Also, while the Government of the USA was bringing forward the demand directed to Turkey and Azerbaijan, it did not restrict the activity of Congress and Armenian Diaspora about the so-called Armenian genocide, it did not give support to Turkey for the solution of PKK attacks against Turkey, and it did not declare its support for providing the integrity of Azerbaijan territory. Although the USA has mentioned on all occasions that the USA felt uncomfortable about a natural gas agreement signed between Turkey and Azerbaijan due to the problems with Iran and improving the cooperation with Azerbaijan, it has not bothered about Iran and Armenia's economic, energy, political and security cooperation which occurs a wide range, and even about technically support to the nuclear program of Iran.

TRUST ISSUE in SOUTH CAUCASUS

Another important issue is the trust problem of South Caucasus states to the USA. Georgia mentioned its confidence to the U.S in the relations; after Russia came to the edge of Tbilisi by putting " the all eggs in one basket", Georgia has not felt the support of U.S. Naturally, serious consequences emerged to take a lesson from this for the states of this region and the other states. When the present and past history of former Soviet Republics(excluding Baltic states) are taken into consideration, instead of sliding to one side, it is understood that unless Russia became more weakened, these states would have to execute a balance policy.

It does not seem possible for U.S with such an approach to demand for support from Azerbaijan and Turkey against Iran and does not seem to occur this situation. If there is a regional and international security issue, this is not only the problem of the USA, but also the problem of the other states who also concern the results of problems and trying to solve the problem with a unilateral approach will bring the insecurity problem against U.S.

The Bullet Shooting the Relations: Amendment 907

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States adopted a special law for improving the democracy and human rights in former Soviet states. According to this law, financial and economic aid were contributed to the former Soviet Republics(the Baltic states had been discussed in another context, including Russia. However, while this law was accepted, as a result of intensive propaganda activity of Armenian Diaspora in the USA on the excuse of Azerbaijan's "embargo and other aggressive manner" to Armenia and Nagorno- Karabakh, there was a special restriction for this country. According to this restriction known as additional article No. 907, it was not possible to help Azerbaijan for U.S Government. If the influence of Armenian Diaspora on U.S government is considered, Azerbaijan, dragging into war by force, does not apply embargo to Armenia, indeed. Proposing of lifting the not applicable embargo as a condition for making aids shows a serious insufficient acknowledge of U.S approach to the issue.

Until September 2001, the Azerbaijan Government struggled against the abolition of this decision in all negotiations with U.S, but it did not manage it. However, after seeing the cold side of the terrorism in its own territory, the United States suspended the decision. After September 11 attack, the U.S Government reviewed the decision; in 24 October 2001the Senate, in 14 November 2001 the conciliation commission between the two wings of the Congress, in 19 December 2001 the House of Representatives confirmed the decision about which giving an authority to the U.S President for suspension of the additional article No. 907 until the end of 2002. A noteworthy point about this additional article No. 907 is abolition of this additional article until the end of 2002. Later, additional article No. 907 has repealed since today with a decision which taken every year. However, the abolition of additional article No. 907 not completely but in such a formation is a trump which U.S could always use against Azerbaijan. Indeed, if Azerbaijan began the military operations in order to get back its occupied territories, the USA could apply this law against Azerbaijan by showing the pressure of Armenian Diaspora as an excuse.

Two-faced Mediation of the United States

Although the United States has always mentioned that it has recognized the Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, it did not support the policy of providing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. On the contrary, the USA was with Armenian side when the issue discussed in international organizations such as the United Nations and OSCE. Despite Azerbaijan's all conveniences for U.S to access to energy and security, keeping peacekeepers in Iraq and Afghanistan, opening its airspace to the U.S aircraft, the USA, under the pressure of Armenian Diaspora, preferred to support to Armenia.

The United States is one of the co-chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group, and it continues to mediation attempts in this context. At the same time, with its own initiatives, U.S brought together the Azerbaijan President Heydar Aliyev and Armenia President Robert Kocharyan in Key West, Florida, in April 2110, but failed to get results.
The United States has seen the separatist demands of 100 thousand Armenians, living in the Nagorno- Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, as "self-determination", and it has been working on providing Armenian a status of almost an independent state. However, because of some reasons, the USA certainly does not provide the same right to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

In April 2007,in the report which was prepared by the U.S Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the USA deleted the Nagorno- Karabakh region of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia from the list, this tensed the relations and Araz Azimov who is the Assistant Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan canceled his visit to U.S in order to go to discuss security issues.

One of the problems between Azerbaijan and the USA is that although U.S has recognized the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, it has allocated financial aid as if Nagorno- Karabakh is an independent state. The USA has reported the financial aids which allocated to Karabakh for civilians to solve their problems. If U.S recognized the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, it would made this financial aid directly over the Azerbaijan, not to so-called Nagorno- Karabakh Republic, this would be more constructive and would not undermine mediation attempts.

Azerbaijan saw that activities of OSCE Minsk Group have not giving serious results for nearly 20 years, so Azerbaijan Government has begun questioning its actions.

North Winds Blowing from the West

The result why cold wind blows in relations between Azerbaijan and U.S while the relations between Turkey and Armenia has improved is that the U.S President Barack Obama made statement supporting Armenia against Azerbaijan and making pressure to Turkey to open the borders with Armenia while his visit to Turkey which took place 6-7 April 2009 in Istanbul within the framework f Alliance of Civilizations Forum. For this reason, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev did not participate the Forum. The insistence of Abdullah Gül, the President of Republic of Turkey, and explanation to arrange a meeting with Obama of Hillary Clinton, U.S Secretary f State, did not convince Aliyev to attend the Forum. Although the USA has not mentioned this situation more, it thought to wait and did not invite the President Ilham Aliyev to the "Nuclear Safety Summit" prepared in Washington, in April 2010. The US Ministry of Foreign Affairs tried to pass over this situation as "Azerbaijan is not related to these issues directly" and "the names which will be invited to the USA has not disclosed yet.". If the issue of the occupation of Azerbaijan territories had not been discussed with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian, it would not be so important not to invite Ilham Aliyev to the Summit. According to some researchers, however, the discussion of the US President Obama and Sarkisian on the settlement of occupied territories of Azerbaijan in the Summit, and Azerbaijan the addressee of the subject not being invited to the Summit have the quality of warning to Azerbaijan because of informing the possible usage of military force for saving its occupied territories.

Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan President, underlined in his speech made in April that without giving names, the supporter states of Armenia have prioritized not the problem of occupation of Azerbaijani lands which seriously has undermined the regional security, but the settlement of other problems.

Political Affairs Advisor of Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, Ali Hasanov reported his opinions as follows: "We estimate that the Americans should not think only the economic problems which Armenia faces...The USA does not execute the policy toward Azerbaijan as a strategic partner... Azerbaijan may revise the USA policy...Washington, the mediator for the settlement of Nagorno- Karabakh problem, should contribute endeavor to the solution of the problem."

Although U.S Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained its opinion about the issue "U.S does not recognize the independence of Nagorno- Karabakh. We are supporting the Minsk process, we want to solve the issue by peaceful means", these are not convincing for Baku. If the USA' "peaceful means" of settlement of solutions are taken as examples for Azerbaijan, it can easily save its territories from the occupation of Armenia.

The objections of Azerbaijan Government to the United States have turned into actions. In a statement made by Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, military exercises within the framework of bilateral military relations which planned to regulate the military exercises, have postponed for an indefinite time.

Azerbaijan has mentioned on several occasions about its discomforts on passing from the assembly of U.S the signed protocols which are related to the opening of border gate of Turkey to Armenia and establishing diplomatic relations, making pressure on Turkey for declining the withdrawal of Azerbaijan lands which Turkey occupied from Armenia, accepting the so-called Armenian genocide bill against Turkey by the Congress.

The Foreign Policy Advisor Novruz Mammadov for Ilham Aliyev, by putting forward the U.S Government taking Yeravan's side in the relations of Azerbaijan- Armenia and by putting forward applying force to Turkey for rapprochement with Armenia expressed his opinions as follows: " the USA faces to face with the danger of losing its most important and reliable ally in the critical region of world. Washington believes that with Turkey's rapprochement to Armenia, t will kill two birds with one stone. Thus, the USA thinks that not only one of the most important problems between Turkey and US is that Armenian genocide allegations will soften, but also the rapprochement of Turkey- Armenia will facilitate the settlements of Nagorno- Karabakh issue.

While the so-called Armenian genocide bill was being negotiated in the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the U.S House of Representatives, Azerbaijan reported serious objections about this issue. On this issue, Azerbaijan National Assembly sent an appeal letter to the House of Representatives, vice-President of Assembly Bahar Muradova made a statement about the issue " If the U.S Congress decide the so-called Armenian genocide, this would not reflect positively to the relations of U.S- Azerbaijan. Elmar Memmedeyarov the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan also explained the opinions about the topic as "I the members of Congress are discussing the events which took place a hundred years ago, they should negotiate the Khojaly Massacre which happened 20 years ago.

Conclusion

Indeed, Azerbaijan and U.S does not desire to live with the problems between them. Azerbaijan has turned his face towards the West, he faces some problems while accepting the Western values and adopting them, it will continue to go ahead this long way. But the USA to press Azerbaijan's corn( Nagorno-Karabakh, etc) for each time. In Azerbaijan, there are some deficiencies on democratization, freedom of media and expression, and human rights issues. However, it is not exaggerative like the US State Department and civil society organizations claim. The United States wants to settle its democratic values which have become inflexible in U.S for more than 200 years by tapping into Azerbaijan with Cinderella's magic wand. In fact, the U.S administration behaves some states more tolerant than Azerbaijan about democracy and human rights, which are weaker than Azerbaijan. Of course, Azerbaijan and the USA will settle these disputes in time experienced between them and will continue to cooperate. However, the United States should give up the double standards for policy toward Azerbaijan, should be able to maintain its neutrality for the settlements of the problems, should give priority to the laws of international law..

Chairman of Center for Eurasian Security and Strategic Studies