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Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email. [email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
May 9, 2011
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian (ANCA)
[email protected] / (202) 775-1918
SENATOR JACK REED SECURES SAFEGUARDS AGAINST AZERBAIJAN'S USE OF
U.S.-FINANCED SATELLITE FOR WARFARE
-- Export-Import Bank Confirms to Senator that Azerbaijan will be
Required to Submit Annual Report and Allow Inspections of Records
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jack Reed (R-RI), a senior member of
the Armed Services Committee, has secured a series of written
assurances and ongoing reporting requirements regarding a
controversial loan recently extended by the U.S. Export-Import Bank
to Azerbaijan for the purchase of an advanced satellite, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The bipartisan Congressional inquiries into this deal, since it was
first placed on the Ex-Im agenda earlier this year, were made
possible by Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA), whose detailed
scrutiny into this transaction created the opportunity for both his
House and Senate colleagues to follow up with a broad range of
questions and concerns. In addition to Senator Reed, Senator Mark
Kirk (D-IL), a leading voice in Congress on military issues, played
an especially constructive role in addressing the potential
regional security implications of this satellite financing deal.
In a detailed, two-page letter, the Bank's Chairman and President,
Fred P. Hochberg, explained to Senator Reed that, "[T]hough Ex-Im
Bank has established that the satellite lacks a military capacity,
the Bank has implemented additional measures to ensure that the
satellite is not utilized for any military related purpose."
-- "The Ex-Im bank loan documentation will include a provision
prohibiting the Government of Azerbaijan from entering any
agreement allowing for the use of the satellite by any of the armed
forces of Azerbaijan, or the armed forces of any other country."
-- "Ex-Im Bank will also have the right to inspect all books and
records related to the project at any time during the life of the
loan."
-- "Lastly, the Government of Azerbaijan will be contractually
required to furnish monitoring reports to Ex-Im Bank on an annual
basis. The monitoring reports will identify all parties that have
contracted to lease transponder capacity and will include
certifications by the Government of Azerbaijan that the satellite
has not been leased, nor has the Government of Azerbaijan entered
into any agreements, with any of the armed forces of Azerbaijan, or
the armed forces of any other country to permit utilization of the
satellite."
"We want to thank Senator Reed, Congressman Sherman, and the other
legislators who worked with the Export-Import Bank in seeking to
address deeply held concerns, raised by Armenian Americans and
others devoted to peace in the Caucasus, regarding any U.S. action
that might empower or embolden Azerbaijan to renew its aggression
against Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia," said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian. "While we remain opposed to this deal and to any
other potentially harmful assistance to the increasingly
belligerent Azerbiajani government of Ilham Aliyev, we do value the
Bank's sensitivities to its regional security implications, and
appreciate the efforts of legislators to build meaningful
safeguards, prohibitions, and reporting requirements into this
transaction."
On April 27th, the U.S. Export-Import Bank voted to approve the
controversial deal to finance Azerbaijan's purchase of an advanced
satellite just weeks after Azerbaijan threatened to shoot down a
civilian airliner. The decision came despite serious Congressional
reservations and strong opposition by the Armenian American
community to U.S. actions that will strengthen Azerbaijan's
military capabilities at a time of increasing threats and acts of
aggression by Baku against both Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Over the past three months, the ANCA has conveyed the Armenian
American community's serious legal, technical and political
opposition to this transaction in a series of letters and meetings
with senior officials of the Export-Import Bank and the State
Department. The firm selling this satellite, known as
Azerspace/Africasat-1A, is Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles,
Virginia. It is being purchased by the Ministry of Communications
and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan in Baku, Azerbaijan. The
application for Ex-Im financing was made by BNP-Parabis of New York
City, and the loan is being guaranteed by Azerbaijan's Ministry of
Finance.
#####
From: A. Papazian
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email. [email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
May 9, 2011
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian (ANCA)
[email protected] / (202) 775-1918
SENATOR JACK REED SECURES SAFEGUARDS AGAINST AZERBAIJAN'S USE OF
U.S.-FINANCED SATELLITE FOR WARFARE
-- Export-Import Bank Confirms to Senator that Azerbaijan will be
Required to Submit Annual Report and Allow Inspections of Records
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Jack Reed (R-RI), a senior member of
the Armed Services Committee, has secured a series of written
assurances and ongoing reporting requirements regarding a
controversial loan recently extended by the U.S. Export-Import Bank
to Azerbaijan for the purchase of an advanced satellite, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The bipartisan Congressional inquiries into this deal, since it was
first placed on the Ex-Im agenda earlier this year, were made
possible by Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA), whose detailed
scrutiny into this transaction created the opportunity for both his
House and Senate colleagues to follow up with a broad range of
questions and concerns. In addition to Senator Reed, Senator Mark
Kirk (D-IL), a leading voice in Congress on military issues, played
an especially constructive role in addressing the potential
regional security implications of this satellite financing deal.
In a detailed, two-page letter, the Bank's Chairman and President,
Fred P. Hochberg, explained to Senator Reed that, "[T]hough Ex-Im
Bank has established that the satellite lacks a military capacity,
the Bank has implemented additional measures to ensure that the
satellite is not utilized for any military related purpose."
-- "The Ex-Im bank loan documentation will include a provision
prohibiting the Government of Azerbaijan from entering any
agreement allowing for the use of the satellite by any of the armed
forces of Azerbaijan, or the armed forces of any other country."
-- "Ex-Im Bank will also have the right to inspect all books and
records related to the project at any time during the life of the
loan."
-- "Lastly, the Government of Azerbaijan will be contractually
required to furnish monitoring reports to Ex-Im Bank on an annual
basis. The monitoring reports will identify all parties that have
contracted to lease transponder capacity and will include
certifications by the Government of Azerbaijan that the satellite
has not been leased, nor has the Government of Azerbaijan entered
into any agreements, with any of the armed forces of Azerbaijan, or
the armed forces of any other country to permit utilization of the
satellite."
"We want to thank Senator Reed, Congressman Sherman, and the other
legislators who worked with the Export-Import Bank in seeking to
address deeply held concerns, raised by Armenian Americans and
others devoted to peace in the Caucasus, regarding any U.S. action
that might empower or embolden Azerbaijan to renew its aggression
against Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia," said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian. "While we remain opposed to this deal and to any
other potentially harmful assistance to the increasingly
belligerent Azerbiajani government of Ilham Aliyev, we do value the
Bank's sensitivities to its regional security implications, and
appreciate the efforts of legislators to build meaningful
safeguards, prohibitions, and reporting requirements into this
transaction."
On April 27th, the U.S. Export-Import Bank voted to approve the
controversial deal to finance Azerbaijan's purchase of an advanced
satellite just weeks after Azerbaijan threatened to shoot down a
civilian airliner. The decision came despite serious Congressional
reservations and strong opposition by the Armenian American
community to U.S. actions that will strengthen Azerbaijan's
military capabilities at a time of increasing threats and acts of
aggression by Baku against both Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Over the past three months, the ANCA has conveyed the Armenian
American community's serious legal, technical and political
opposition to this transaction in a series of letters and meetings
with senior officials of the Export-Import Bank and the State
Department. The firm selling this satellite, known as
Azerspace/Africasat-1A, is Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles,
Virginia. It is being purchased by the Ministry of Communications
and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan in Baku, Azerbaijan. The
application for Ex-Im financing was made by BNP-Parabis of New York
City, and the loan is being guaranteed by Azerbaijan's Ministry of
Finance.
#####
From: A. Papazian