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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 protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
December 17, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
CONGRESS TO REDUCE FOREIGN AID TO ARMENIA;
MAINTAIN MILITARY AID PARITY WITH AZERBAIJAN
-- Vote on Omnibus Aid Bill as Early as Monday Evening 12/17
Calling for $58.5 Million for Armenia; $3 Million for Karabagh
WASHINGTON, DC - Negotiators representing the U.S. House and Senate
appear to have agreed upon Fiscal Year 2008 assistance figures for
Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, both at levels less than last year,
as part of a far-reaching agreement on foreign aid and other
appropriations measures that is set to be adopted soon by both
houses of Congress, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).
The agreement includes $58.5 million in assistance to Armenia and
$3 million in direct aid to Nagorno Karabagh. It also reverses the
Administration's latest bid to retreat from its 2001 pledge to
maintain in military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"We are troubled by the reductions in aid to Armenia and Nagorno
Karabagh, particularly in light on the ongoing economic costs of
the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades, as well as Baku's
increasingly violent rhetoric about restarting its war against the
Armenians," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We thank
all of our friends in the appropriations process who, working
against significant competing budgetary pressures - were able to
deliver figures higher than the President's request, and also to
maintain military aid parity."
In addition to the Armenia and Karabagh allocations, the omnibus
aid bill also includes $50.5 million for Georgia and $19 million
for Azerbaijan. Millennium Challenge Account funding is set for $1.5
billion, half of President Bush's request.
On June 12th, the House adopted its version of the FY08 foreign
bill, earmarking $68 million for Armenia, $6 million in direct
assistance to Nagorno Karabagh, and maintaining parity in the
levels of U.S. military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. This
represented a 48.5% increase over the President's budget request
for Armenia, but less than the $75 million sought by the ANCA.
The Senate version, adopted on September 6th, called for only $39
million in aid to Armenia, $4 million above the President's
request, but considerably less than the ANCA request. The Senate
bill neither set a specific dollar amount for Nagorno Karabagh nor
addressed the issue of military aid parity.
Thousands of Armenian Americans have communicated to their
legislators on this issue via an ANCA Congressional Call In
Campaign: http://capwiz.com/anca/home
In testimony submitted to the Foreign Operations Subcomittee on
March 29th, ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian
touched upon a number of key issues, including: 1) Restoring parity
in all military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan; 2) Increasing
economic Assistance to Armenia to at least $75 million; 3)
Expanding U.S. Assistance to Nagorno Karabagh to at least $10
million in both humanitarian and development aid, and; 4)
Preserving Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. The full text
of the ANCA's testimony is available at:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/testimony/2007. pdf
In February of this year, in letters to leading Appropriators in
the House and Senate, the ANCA outlined the Armenian American
community's foreign aid priorities. For the full text of these
letters, visit:
http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_re leases.php?prid=1079
#####
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
December 17, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
CONGRESS TO REDUCE FOREIGN AID TO ARMENIA;
MAINTAIN MILITARY AID PARITY WITH AZERBAIJAN
-- Vote on Omnibus Aid Bill as Early as Monday Evening 12/17
Calling for $58.5 Million for Armenia; $3 Million for Karabagh
WASHINGTON, DC - Negotiators representing the U.S. House and Senate
appear to have agreed upon Fiscal Year 2008 assistance figures for
Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, both at levels less than last year,
as part of a far-reaching agreement on foreign aid and other
appropriations measures that is set to be adopted soon by both
houses of Congress, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).
The agreement includes $58.5 million in assistance to Armenia and
$3 million in direct aid to Nagorno Karabagh. It also reverses the
Administration's latest bid to retreat from its 2001 pledge to
maintain in military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"We are troubled by the reductions in aid to Armenia and Nagorno
Karabagh, particularly in light on the ongoing economic costs of
the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades, as well as Baku's
increasingly violent rhetoric about restarting its war against the
Armenians," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We thank
all of our friends in the appropriations process who, working
against significant competing budgetary pressures - were able to
deliver figures higher than the President's request, and also to
maintain military aid parity."
In addition to the Armenia and Karabagh allocations, the omnibus
aid bill also includes $50.5 million for Georgia and $19 million
for Azerbaijan. Millennium Challenge Account funding is set for $1.5
billion, half of President Bush's request.
On June 12th, the House adopted its version of the FY08 foreign
bill, earmarking $68 million for Armenia, $6 million in direct
assistance to Nagorno Karabagh, and maintaining parity in the
levels of U.S. military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. This
represented a 48.5% increase over the President's budget request
for Armenia, but less than the $75 million sought by the ANCA.
The Senate version, adopted on September 6th, called for only $39
million in aid to Armenia, $4 million above the President's
request, but considerably less than the ANCA request. The Senate
bill neither set a specific dollar amount for Nagorno Karabagh nor
addressed the issue of military aid parity.
Thousands of Armenian Americans have communicated to their
legislators on this issue via an ANCA Congressional Call In
Campaign: http://capwiz.com/anca/home
In testimony submitted to the Foreign Operations Subcomittee on
March 29th, ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian
touched upon a number of key issues, including: 1) Restoring parity
in all military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan; 2) Increasing
economic Assistance to Armenia to at least $75 million; 3)
Expanding U.S. Assistance to Nagorno Karabagh to at least $10
million in both humanitarian and development aid, and; 4)
Preserving Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. The full text
of the ANCA's testimony is available at:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/testimony/2007. pdf
In February of this year, in letters to leading Appropriators in
the House and Senate, the ANCA outlined the Armenian American
community's foreign aid priorities. For the full text of these
letters, visit:
http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_re leases.php?prid=1079
#####
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress