Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
December 9, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: [email protected]
PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNS OMNIBUS SPENDING BILL
Reinstates Military Aid Parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly hailed yesterday’s enactment of
the Fiscal Year 2005 Omnibus Spending Bill, reinstating security aid
parity to Armenia and Azerbaijan by allocating $8.75 million in
military financing to both countries. This action foils the
Administration’s attempt at the beginning of the year to provide Baku
with a $6 million increase over Yerevan.
“The Assembly welcomes the enactment of this measure which puts
Armenia and Azerbaijan on equal footing,” said Board of Directors
Chairman Anthony Barsamian. “The Administration’s budget request to
Congress could have weakened U.S. credibility as an impartial and
leading mediator in the Karabakh peace process and could have resulted
in a resumption of hostilities, with potentially dire consequences for
U.S. economic and national security interests.”
“We are therefore pleased by this action and salute our network of
grassroots activists who worked side-by-side with the Assembly in
urging Congress to reaffirm military aid parity and to maintain the
highest levels of funding for Armenia and Karabakh.”
The legislation also allocates “not less than” $75 million in economic
aid to Armenia and $3 million in humanitarian aid to Nagorno Karabakh.
The U.S. continues to be the only nation in the world to provide aid
to Karabakh.
The House and Senate foreign operations expenditures were combined in
a final conference report which was included in the Omnibus Spending
Bill and passed by both Chambers before being enacted by President
Bush.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership
organization.
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