American Jewish Committee Endorses Silk Road Strategy Act

American Jewish Committee
Wednesday, 24 June 1998

The American Jewish Committee has commended the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for its approval of the Silk Road Strategy Act of 1998, legislation that would strengthen U.S. ties to the strategically vital Caucasus and Central Asia. AJC worked closely with Senator Sam Brownback, (R-KS), the bill's sponsor, to help refine the measure and broaden support for it on Capitol Hill and in the foreign policy community.

The Foreign Relations Committee's action on June 23 sends the Silk Road Strategy Act, S. 1344, to the Senate floor.

AJC Executive Director David A. Harris praised Brownback for pursuing close U.S. ties to the Caucasus and Central Asia, and lauded the Foreign Relations Committee for reporting out the measure. "By encouraging greater cooperation between the U.S. and the nations of the Caucasus and Central Asia," Mr. Harris said, "this bill serves American national interests while simultaneously bolstering stability in the Middle East, enhancing the attractiveness of energy- investment and trade alternatives to Iran, and helping entrench democratic processes and institutions in diverse countries with a strong Jewish heritage."

S. 1344 would clarify U.S. policy toward the eight Caucasus and Central Asian states and "supercede" Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act (FSA) restriction on aid to Azerbaijan. The bill seeks to (1) strengthen independence, sovereignty and democratic institutions, (2) assist in the resolution of regional conflicts, (3) promote economic cooperation, (4) help advance market-orientated economies, (5) assist infrastructure development, (6) support U.S. business and (7) promote secure borders.

On June 22, the American Jewish Committee, in coalition with the Anti-Defamation League, B'nai B'rith, the National Conference on Soviet Jewry and the American Jewish Congress, wrote members of the Foreign Relations Committee that "the emergence of eight new nations in the Caucasus and Central Asia presents a unique opportunity to the United States to help shape the destiny of a region that is crucial because of its location, the natural resources it offers, and the rich heritage of its diverse peoples. These peoples have, for so much of their history, been subjected to foreign domination. Today, they have the chance to put behind them forever the experience of being pawns on a chessboard as big powers vie for wealth and influence at their expense. We are confident that genuine independence, peace, and prosperity for the nations of the southern Caucasus and Central Asia will benefit the national interests of the United States and of Turkey and Israel, as well as other regional allies."

Barry Jacobs, AJC's Assistant Director for International Affairs, stated that "this legislation is not only good for the United States but is beneficial to Israel. The break-up of the Soviet Union left a group of new nations in the Caucasus and Central Asia, all of which have Jewish communities, most of which are overwhelmingly Muslim in population, and several of which are rich in hydrocarbon and agricultural potential. These states provide a viable model of Islamic states with beneficial trade and diplomatic relations with the Jewish State."

Mr. Harris noted that the Jewish community of Azerbaijan had written to President Clinton expressing its support of Senator Brownback's legislation and that the Jewish community of the Kyrgyz Republic had sent a similar letter directly to Senators Jesse Helms (R-NC) and Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE), the chair and ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, respectively.

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org