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Spending Plans Calls For $24 Million In Economic Aid To Armenia, Pro

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  • Spending Plans Calls For $24 Million In Economic Aid To Armenia, Pro

    SPENDING PLAN CALLS FOR $24 MILLION IN ECONOMIC AID TO ARMENIA, PROVIDES ASYMMETRICAL MILITARY ASSISTANCE

    AZG Armenian Daily
    06/02/2008

    International

    Washington, DC - Given Armenia's support in the global war against
    terrorism as well as the ongoing attempts by Turkey and Azerbaijan
    to isolate Armenia, the Armenian Assembly of America today expressed
    its opposition to the Administration's Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Budget.

    As in years past, the Budget proposal calls for asymmetrical military
    assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia. The Administration's spending
    plan recommends $3 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to
    both countries, but Azerbaijan is slated to receive $600,000 more
    than Armenia ($300,000) in Military Education and Training (IMET)
    assistance.

    Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev recently proclaimed that "Armenia
    did not win the war. The war is not over. Only the first stage of the
    war has been completed." He added that Nagorno Karabakh will never
    be independent."Given Azerbaijan's increased war rhetoric, I have
    strong concerns with giving any military aid to Azerbaijan, and we
    definitely should not give them more than we're providing Armenia,"
    stated Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). "I will work
    with my colleagues to ensure that Armenia has the resources needed to
    continue to strengthen its democracy as well as ensure its security,"
    continued Knollenberg.

    The FY 2009 Budget also calls for $24 million in economic assistance
    to Armenia, the lowest request to date made by the Administration. The
    figure represents $34 million less than what Congress approved last
    year, and $11 million less than the Administration's request in
    FY 2008.

    Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny echoed Congressman
    Knollenberg's concerns, stating: "President Bush missed an important
    opportunity to demonstrate that his Administration is serious about a
    policy of regional cooperation and economic integration in the region."

    "Azerbaijan's continued threats to resume war, undermines
    U.S. objectives in the region and I am confident that Congress will
    reject this approach," Ardouny added. "In a budget that calls for
    over $39 billion in the International Affairs account, $24 million
    for Armenia is woefully inadequate. Rather than reduce funding to
    Armenia, we urge the Administration to work with Congress to end the
    dual blockades imposed upon her by Turkey and Azerbaijan."

    Today's announcement is the first step in a lengthy budget process. The
    next step is for the House and Senate to review the Administration's
    request through committee hearings.

    Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly is the largest
    Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
    and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
    membership organization.
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