Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email anca@anca.org
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PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

KNOLLENBERG AND SCHIFF PRESS SEC. RICE ON WHITE HOUSE
PROPOSAL TO BREAK ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN MILITARY AID PARITY

— Knollenberg Seeks to Cut all Military Aid to Azerbaijan
in response to Aliev’s threats of Renewed Aggression

— Rice: Some U.S. Aid Programs in Armenia "Suspended" due to Domestic Turmoil

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) and Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) pressed
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today on the Administration’s
proposal to break an agreement to maintain military aid parity
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, citing Baku’s threats of renewed
aggression and its recent cross-border attacks against Nagorno
Karabagh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).

Calling the recent Azerbaijani attacks against Nagorno Karabagh’s
Mardakert region as the "the worst breach [of the cease fire] in
over 10 years", Rep. Knollenberg asked Secretary Rice how the
Administration intends to respond to Azerbaijan’s aggression and
war rhetoric. She replied that, "we are very concerned about the
heating up rhetoric but I think the way to deal with this is to
open channels to both sides and to try to bring them to a
solution."

Rep. Knollenberg followed up noting that, "I wasn’t the least bit
kidding about removing their military funding because if Azerbaijan
is building up to a point, that they have also said that they would
move into Armenia and challenge them whenever they want to because
they have an economic situation that is far stronger than Armenia,
and in time they probably could put together a military
organization that would march in and take over. Now that’s not the
outcome any of us want, but I am really concerned about that. That
is why I am suggesting that we take away their military funding or
at least threaten it – because they are threatening Armenia."

In response to Rep. Schiff’s concerns that the President’s budget
called for a break in military aid parity to Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Secretary Rice cited concerns about the current state
of emergency in Armenia. Rep. Schiff interjected that no state of
emergency existed when the President’s budget was announced in
early February, prompting Secretary Rice to state that Armenia
received Millennium Challenge Account funding and is the highest
recipient of per capita aid in the Caucasus.

Noting Armenia’s recent domestic turmoil surrounding the Armenian
elections, and specifically the state of emergency declared by the
government, Sec. Rice twice referenced the suspension of
implementation of some U.S. assistance programs to Armenia and
stated that they continue to work with the authorities to bring
stability to the region.

The budget proposed by the White House last month sought to
dramatically slash aid to Armenia by 59%, and, once again, proposed
tipping the military aid balance in favor of Azerbaijan, despite
Baku’s threats to use it growing military arsenal to restart its
war against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

Congressman Knollenberg and his Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-
Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) are currently collecting signatures
>From their House colleagues on a letter urging the leaders of the
U.S. State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee to
support provisions in the FY09 foreign aid bill that advance U.S.
interests and American values in Armenia and the surrounding
region. Citizens seeking to reverse the President’s proposed cut
in aid to Armenia and to support the other aid priorities in the
Armenian Caucus letter, can send a free ANCA WebFax to their
elected officials in Washington today:
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