SENATE RESTORES MILITARY AID BALANCE BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

PanArmenian News
Sept 17 2004

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The full Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday
voted to reinstate military aid parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan
in the Fiscal Year 2005 Foreign Operations bill. As reported by the
Armenian Assembly of America, the legislation, which allocates about
$9 million in military financing to both countries, not only foils the
Administration’s attempt to favor Azerbaijan but also exceeds the House
request of almost $6 million for each country. Having emphasized that
support for Armenia remains strong in the Congress upper chamber,
Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who is Chairman of
the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, noted that humanitarian and
relief assistance will keep flowing to Nagorno Karabakh. Thus, by the
decision of the Senate Appropriations Committee, both Baku and Yerevan
are slated to receive $8 million for Foreign Military Financing and
$750,000 for International Military Education and Training. It should
be noted that the next step in the legislative process is a vote on
the Foreign Operations bill by the full Senate.