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House Appropriations Committee Review Of 2012 Foreign Aid Bill Postp

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  • House Appropriations Committee Review Of 2012 Foreign Aid Bill Postp

    HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE REVIEW OF 2012 FOREIGN AID BILL POSTPONED.

    PanARMENIAN.Net
    August 2, 2011

    PanARMENIAN.Net - The House Appropriations Committee "mark up"
    of the 2012 Foreign Aid Bill, originally scheduled for August 3rd,
    has been postponed.

    In respect of this ANCA calls on U.S. Armenians to use additional time
    and address their Congressmen to join efforts to confirm maximum aid
    volume for Armenia in 2012.

    Particularly, $60 million in economic aid to Armenia is aimed to
    strengthen its independence and to help offset the devastating impact
    of dual Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades; at least $10 million in
    military aid to Armenia, with the understanding that, based on a
    long-standing practice and in the interest of regional stability,
    Azerbaijan does not receive any more military aid than Armenia.

    Oil-rich Azerbaijan, for its part, should not receive any assistance
    at all, as long as it continues to blockade, threaten, and attack
    Nagorno Karabakh; at least $10 million in development aid to Nagorno
    Karabagh. Please strongly consider 1) insisting upon the inclusion of
    language directing this aid for "developmental" purposed in order
    to ensure that it is spent in the most cost-effective manner, 2)
    including specific language setting $10 million as a minimum, in light
    of the Administration's past practice of spending considerably less
    for this program than Congress has intended; maintain Section 907 of
    the FREEDOM Support Act, and include a provision to end military aid
    to Azerbaijan if its leadership continues to threaten to renew Baku's
    aggression against Nagorno Karabakh or Armenia.

    July 27, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign
    Operations and Related Programs approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012
    State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, which calls for $40
    million in economic assistance to Armenia, reported the Armenian
    Assembly of America (Assembly).

    The Subcommittee's Bill did not specify funding levels for Nagorno
    Karabakh. However, Congress has routinely called for up to $10 million
    in annual U.S. assistance.

    While the Administration's budget request provided $3 million in
    Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Armenia and Azerbaijan, and
    $450,000 more to Azerbaijan in International Military Education
    Training (IMET), the Subcommittee's draft legislation did not
    specifically delineate funding levels, but did call for military
    parity for Armenia and Azerbaijan.

    The Subcommittee's Bill also restated the six customary exemptions
    for humanitarian and other assistance to Section 907 of the Freedom
    Support Act. Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act was enacted in
    1992 and requires the Government of Azerbaijan to take "demonstrable
    steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force"
    against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

    Earlier, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ) circulated a
    letter urging his U.S. House colleagues to support expanded U.S. aid
    to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, and a number of other pro-Armenia
    provisions in the Fiscal Year 2012 foreign aid bill.

    In his letter, Rep. Pallone, called upon his fellow Representatives
    to join with him in co-signing a Congressional letter asking
    the bipartisan leadership of the Appropriations Subcommittee on
    State Foreign Operations to support the inclusion of the following
    provisions: At least $60 million in economic support funds for Armenia;
    At least $10 million in development aid to Nagorno Karabakh; The
    strengthening of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act and maintaining
    military aid parity to Armenia and Azerbaijan; The removal of barriers
    to U.S.-Nagorno Karabakh contacts and communications; Support for
    the reinstatement of Nagorno Karabakh in the OSCE Minsk Group peace
    process; At least $10 million in military aid to Armenia.


    From: Baghdasarian
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