ARMENIAN CAUCUS RALLIES SUPPORT FOR ARMENIAN AID PRIORITIES

armradio.am
12.03.2008 10:20

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and
Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) are currently collecting signatures among their
House colleagues on a letter urging the leaders of the US State-Foreign
Operations Appropriations Subcommittee to support provisions in the
FY09 foreign aid bill that advance US interests and American values
in Armenia and the surrounding region, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

The letter, addressed to Subcommittee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and
Ranking Member Frank Wolf (R-VA), outlines six key policy priorities:

1) Cutting all military aid to Azerbaijan due to its threats of
renewed war 2) Allocating $5 million in military aid to Armenia 3)
Continuing Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act 4) Allocating
$70 million in economic aid to Armenia 5) Allocating $10 million in
development aid to Nagorno Karabakh 6) Restoring diplomatic relations
with Nagorno Karabakh

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 Karabakh.

Members of Congress, led by the Armenian Caucus, are seeking to reverse
the proposed cut in aid to Armenia and to enact a constructive set
of foreign policies toward Armenia and the region.