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Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
April 1, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
BUSH ADMINISTRATION DISOWNS THREE YEAR-OLD AGREEMENT TO
MAINTAIN MILITARY AID PARITY BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
-- Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Jones Defends
4 to 1 Military Aid Imbalance in Favor of Azerbaijan;
Claims Parity Agreement Never Existed
WASHINGTON, DC - The Bush Administration, which, earlier this year
proposed breaking its three-year old commitment to maintain parity
in U.S. military aid levels to Armenia and Azerbaijan, this week
entirely disowned its agreement with Congress and the Armenian
American community, claiming that such an arrangement has never
existed, reported the Armenian National Committee Of America
(ANCA).
The State Department outlined its new posture in response to
questions directed to Secretary of State Colin Powell by Senator
George Allen (R-VA) during a March 2nd hearing of the Foreign
Relations Committee. Senator Allen's question read, in part:
"As part of the 907 waiver, there was an agreement
made between the Administration and Congress to
continue ensuring military parity between Armenia
and Azerbaijan. How does this budget request not
undermine that understanding and not contradict the
Administrations previously held position?"
Responding for Secretary Powell, Assistant Secretary of State
Elizabeth Jones wrote that:
"We do not have a policy that FMF funding levels
for Armenia and Azerbaijan should be identical,
but we are determined to ensure that our military
assistance to these two countries does not alter
the military balance between them. We are confident
that increased FMF funding for Azerbaijan will not
alter the military capability or offensive posture
of Azerbaijan, nor will it perturb the military
balance between it and Armenia in the Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict."
Assistant Secretary Jones' comments run contrary to the agreement
to maintain equal military aid levels struck in late 2001 between
the White House and Congress during negotiations over granting the
President the authority to waive Section 907 of the Freedom Support
Act. The agreement was shared with representatives of the Armenian
American community during a February 21, 2002 meeting at the White
House with National Security Council official Dan Fried and
Presidential advisor Karl Rove.
In February of this year, as part of its FY 2005 budget, the Bush
Administration proposed breaking the parity agreement by sending
four times more Foreign Military Financing assistance to Azerbaijan
($8 million) than to Armenia ($2 million). The President's budget
also includes a proposed $62 million allocation in economic aid to
Armenia, a $13 million decrease from the $75 million approved by
Congress as part of the FY 2004 aid bill.
"Our deep disappointment with the Administration's failure to honor
its three-year old commitment to maintain military aid parity
between Armenia and Azerbaijan was compounded this week by the news
that a senior State Department official is now claiming that such
an agreement never existed in the first place," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "This breach of faith - this disavowal of
their own agreement - undermines the confidence of Armenian
Americans in the willingness of the Bush Administration to maintain
a balanced policy toward Armenia and the surrounding region."
In letters and briefing papers provided to Members of Congress, the
ANCA has explained that breaking the parity agreement will tilt the
regional military balance in favor of Azerbaijan, reward the
Azerbaijani government's increasing violent calls for renewed
aggression, and undermine the role of the United States as an
impartial mediator of the Nagorno Karabagh talks.
#####
888 17th Street, NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
April 1, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
BUSH ADMINISTRATION DISOWNS THREE YEAR-OLD AGREEMENT TO
MAINTAIN MILITARY AID PARITY BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
-- Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Jones Defends
4 to 1 Military Aid Imbalance in Favor of Azerbaijan;
Claims Parity Agreement Never Existed
WASHINGTON, DC - The Bush Administration, which, earlier this year
proposed breaking its three-year old commitment to maintain parity
in U.S. military aid levels to Armenia and Azerbaijan, this week
entirely disowned its agreement with Congress and the Armenian
American community, claiming that such an arrangement has never
existed, reported the Armenian National Committee Of America
(ANCA).
The State Department outlined its new posture in response to
questions directed to Secretary of State Colin Powell by Senator
George Allen (R-VA) during a March 2nd hearing of the Foreign
Relations Committee. Senator Allen's question read, in part:
"As part of the 907 waiver, there was an agreement
made between the Administration and Congress to
continue ensuring military parity between Armenia
and Azerbaijan. How does this budget request not
undermine that understanding and not contradict the
Administrations previously held position?"
Responding for Secretary Powell, Assistant Secretary of State
Elizabeth Jones wrote that:
"We do not have a policy that FMF funding levels
for Armenia and Azerbaijan should be identical,
but we are determined to ensure that our military
assistance to these two countries does not alter
the military balance between them. We are confident
that increased FMF funding for Azerbaijan will not
alter the military capability or offensive posture
of Azerbaijan, nor will it perturb the military
balance between it and Armenia in the Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict."
Assistant Secretary Jones' comments run contrary to the agreement
to maintain equal military aid levels struck in late 2001 between
the White House and Congress during negotiations over granting the
President the authority to waive Section 907 of the Freedom Support
Act. The agreement was shared with representatives of the Armenian
American community during a February 21, 2002 meeting at the White
House with National Security Council official Dan Fried and
Presidential advisor Karl Rove.
In February of this year, as part of its FY 2005 budget, the Bush
Administration proposed breaking the parity agreement by sending
four times more Foreign Military Financing assistance to Azerbaijan
($8 million) than to Armenia ($2 million). The President's budget
also includes a proposed $62 million allocation in economic aid to
Armenia, a $13 million decrease from the $75 million approved by
Congress as part of the FY 2004 aid bill.
"Our deep disappointment with the Administration's failure to honor
its three-year old commitment to maintain military aid parity
between Armenia and Azerbaijan was compounded this week by the news
that a senior State Department official is now claiming that such
an agreement never existed in the first place," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "This breach of faith - this disavowal of
their own agreement - undermines the confidence of Armenian
Americans in the willingness of the Bush Administration to maintain
a balanced policy toward Armenia and the surrounding region."
In letters and briefing papers provided to Members of Congress, the
ANCA has explained that breaking the parity agreement will tilt the
regional military balance in favor of Azerbaijan, reward the
Azerbaijani government's increasing violent calls for renewed
aggression, and undermine the role of the United States as an
impartial mediator of the Nagorno Karabagh talks.
#####