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SENATOR JACK REED SECURES SAFEGUARDS AGAINST AZERBAIJAN'S USE OF U.S.-FINANCED SATELLITE FOR WARFARE
armradio.am
10.05.2011 10:39
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, "Though 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."
"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 Azerbaijani
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.
From: A. Papazian
armradio.am
10.05.2011 10:39
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, "Though 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."
"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 Azerbaijani
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.
From: A. Papazian