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HOUSE PANEL APPROVES $40 MILLION FOR ARMENIA, MAINTAINS PARITY IN MILITARY AID TO ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
armradio.am
28.07.2011
A key U.S. House panel responsible for foreign aid spending voted
today to approve $40 million in economic aid to Armenia, honoring
Pres. Obama's budget request for the 2012 fiscal year, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Capitol Hill sources close to this process report that the
Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, which is led
by Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) and Ranking Democrat Nita Lowey (D-NY),
maintained military assistance parity to Armenia and Azerbaijan,
but did not outline specific allocation amounts. The panel reportedly
did not include specific recommendations for U.S. assistance levels
to Nagorno Karabakh, although it did express support for a negotiated
settlement to the conflict. The version approved by the subcommittee
also includes a provision "that funds made available for the Southern
Caucasus region may be used for confidence-building measures and other
activities in furtherance of the peaceful resolution of conflicts,
including in Nagorno-Karabakh."
"Although today's aid level for Armenia falls short of the $60
million requested in the bipartisan Congressional letter circulated
earlier this year, we are aware of the serious financial pressures
upon legislators of both parties and want to share our appreciation
for the leadership of Chairwoman Granger, Ranking Member Lowey,
Congressmen Schiff, Rothman, Wolf, and all our other friends on the
subcommittee for maintaining the assistance level for Armenia in
the face of deep spending cuts across the foreign aid bill," said
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We look forward, as this
spending measure moves through the legislative process, to supporting
the efforts of legislators from both houses of Congress to shape a
final foreign aid bill that recognizes and reflects the benefits of
increasing aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, zeroing-out U.S. aid
to Azerbaijan, and incorporating our other foreign aid priorities."
"I am pleased that Armenia will receive economic assistance and that
the committee again expressed its support for a negotiated solution
that avoids a return to bloodshed in Nagorno Karabakh," explained
House Foreign Operations Subcommittee Member Adam Schiff (D-CA).
"After more than two decades of struggle, the people of Karabakh still
live under the constant threat of Azerbaijani actions, which continue
to play a role in regional instability and episodic violence. I am
pleased that the report includes language calling for a lessening of
threats and provocations, but I would still like to see us end the
practice of furnishing security assistance to Azerbaijan and intend
to urge the elimination of military aid to Baku when this bill is
taken up by the full Appropriations Committee. I would also like
to see the State Department utilize the full resources the Congress
appropriates to assist the people of Karabakh."
armradio.am
28.07.2011
A key U.S. House panel responsible for foreign aid spending voted
today to approve $40 million in economic aid to Armenia, honoring
Pres. Obama's budget request for the 2012 fiscal year, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Capitol Hill sources close to this process report that the
Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, which is led
by Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) and Ranking Democrat Nita Lowey (D-NY),
maintained military assistance parity to Armenia and Azerbaijan,
but did not outline specific allocation amounts. The panel reportedly
did not include specific recommendations for U.S. assistance levels
to Nagorno Karabakh, although it did express support for a negotiated
settlement to the conflict. The version approved by the subcommittee
also includes a provision "that funds made available for the Southern
Caucasus region may be used for confidence-building measures and other
activities in furtherance of the peaceful resolution of conflicts,
including in Nagorno-Karabakh."
"Although today's aid level for Armenia falls short of the $60
million requested in the bipartisan Congressional letter circulated
earlier this year, we are aware of the serious financial pressures
upon legislators of both parties and want to share our appreciation
for the leadership of Chairwoman Granger, Ranking Member Lowey,
Congressmen Schiff, Rothman, Wolf, and all our other friends on the
subcommittee for maintaining the assistance level for Armenia in
the face of deep spending cuts across the foreign aid bill," said
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We look forward, as this
spending measure moves through the legislative process, to supporting
the efforts of legislators from both houses of Congress to shape a
final foreign aid bill that recognizes and reflects the benefits of
increasing aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, zeroing-out U.S. aid
to Azerbaijan, and incorporating our other foreign aid priorities."
"I am pleased that Armenia will receive economic assistance and that
the committee again expressed its support for a negotiated solution
that avoids a return to bloodshed in Nagorno Karabakh," explained
House Foreign Operations Subcommittee Member Adam Schiff (D-CA).
"After more than two decades of struggle, the people of Karabakh still
live under the constant threat of Azerbaijani actions, which continue
to play a role in regional instability and episodic violence. I am
pleased that the report includes language calling for a lessening of
threats and provocations, but I would still like to see us end the
practice of furnishing security assistance to Azerbaijan and intend
to urge the elimination of military aid to Baku when this bill is
taken up by the full Appropriations Committee. I would also like
to see the State Department utilize the full resources the Congress
appropriates to assist the people of Karabakh."