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Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
REED AMENDMENT REAFFIRMS PARITY IN DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
-- Rhode Island Senator Wins Approval for
Amendment to Legislation Authorizing
Counter-Drug Assistance Program
WASHINGTON, DC - In a legislative reaffirmation of
the 2001 agreement between the Congress and the White
House to maintain military aid parity to Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) this week
secured the adoption of an amendment adding Armenia
to the list of nation's receiving Department of
Defense counter-drug assistance, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Commenting to the ANCA following the adoption of his
amendment, Senator Reed said, "I am pleased that the
Senate Armed Services Committee recognized the
importance of providing military aid to Armenia for
training and equipment in light of its decision to
provide funding to Azerbaijan. It is essential that
we maintain parity between the two nations, and I am
happy that my amendment was accepted."
The amendment was offered by the Senator, a senior
members of the Armed Services Committee, to the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2007 (S.2507). The measure added Armenia to the list
of eligible nations for a Defense Department counter-
drug assistance program. Azerbaijan was among the
nation's listed in the original version of the
Authorization bill authored by Committee Chairman
John Warner (R-VA).
Significantly, the Armed Services Committee report
advises the Defense Department that the panel
"expects that the authority granted in this section
will be administered in the spirit of maintaining
current military parity between Azerbaijan and
Armenia." The Committee report language refers to
the agreement between Congress and the White House in
2001 to maintain military aid parity between Armenia
and Azerbaijan. In 2001, Congress granted the
President limited waiver authority over Section 907
of the Freedom Support Act, which restricts U.S.
assistance to Azerbaijan as long as it continues to
blockade Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, with the
understanding that the Administration will not
provide more military assistance to Azerbaijan than
to Armenia.
"We join with the Armenian American community of
Rhode Island in thanking Senator Reed for helping to
ensure parity in the provision of U.S. defense
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan," said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We will, in the
coming weeks, continue to share with legislators in
both houses of Congress the negative implications for
peace and regional stability of the Administration's
ill-advised proposal to break the military aid parity
agreement that has been in force for the past five
years."
The House Armed Services Committee has also finalized
its version of the National Defense Authorization Act
for fiscal year 2007 (H.R.5122), which does include
Azerbaijan, but not Armenia as an eligible country.
The two versions of the bill will eventually be
reconciled upon passage in both chambers. The ANCA
will urge the conference committee to accede to the
amended Senate version of this provision, and, more
broadly, to work toward overall military aid parity
to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
#####
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 5, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
REED AMENDMENT REAFFIRMS PARITY IN DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
-- Rhode Island Senator Wins Approval for
Amendment to Legislation Authorizing
Counter-Drug Assistance Program
WASHINGTON, DC - In a legislative reaffirmation of
the 2001 agreement between the Congress and the White
House to maintain military aid parity to Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) this week
secured the adoption of an amendment adding Armenia
to the list of nation's receiving Department of
Defense counter-drug assistance, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Commenting to the ANCA following the adoption of his
amendment, Senator Reed said, "I am pleased that the
Senate Armed Services Committee recognized the
importance of providing military aid to Armenia for
training and equipment in light of its decision to
provide funding to Azerbaijan. It is essential that
we maintain parity between the two nations, and I am
happy that my amendment was accepted."
The amendment was offered by the Senator, a senior
members of the Armed Services Committee, to the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2007 (S.2507). The measure added Armenia to the list
of eligible nations for a Defense Department counter-
drug assistance program. Azerbaijan was among the
nation's listed in the original version of the
Authorization bill authored by Committee Chairman
John Warner (R-VA).
Significantly, the Armed Services Committee report
advises the Defense Department that the panel
"expects that the authority granted in this section
will be administered in the spirit of maintaining
current military parity between Azerbaijan and
Armenia." The Committee report language refers to
the agreement between Congress and the White House in
2001 to maintain military aid parity between Armenia
and Azerbaijan. In 2001, Congress granted the
President limited waiver authority over Section 907
of the Freedom Support Act, which restricts U.S.
assistance to Azerbaijan as long as it continues to
blockade Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, with the
understanding that the Administration will not
provide more military assistance to Azerbaijan than
to Armenia.
"We join with the Armenian American community of
Rhode Island in thanking Senator Reed for helping to
ensure parity in the provision of U.S. defense
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan," said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We will, in the
coming weeks, continue to share with legislators in
both houses of Congress the negative implications for
peace and regional stability of the Administration's
ill-advised proposal to break the military aid parity
agreement that has been in force for the past five
years."
The House Armed Services Committee has also finalized
its version of the National Defense Authorization Act
for fiscal year 2007 (H.R.5122), which does include
Azerbaijan, but not Armenia as an eligible country.
The two versions of the bill will eventually be
reconciled upon passage in both chambers. The ANCA
will urge the conference committee to accede to the
amended Senate version of this provision, and, more
broadly, to work toward overall military aid parity
to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
#####