U.S. ADMINISTRATION CUTS AID TO ARMENIA, BREAKS MILITARY PARITY
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.05.2009 11:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Just two weeks after President Barack Obama failed
to uphold his campaign promise to squarely reaffirm the historical
fact of the Armenian Genocide, the president, in his Fiscal Year (FY)
2010 International Affairs budget request, broke another promise by
cutting aid to Armenia, reported the Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly). The budget request also increased aid to Azerbaijan and
overturned long-standing Congressional policy with respect to military
parity between Armenian and Azerbaijan.
"This budget is fundamentally flawed," said Bryan Ardouny, Assembly
Executive Director. "It is incomprehensible that a country which
already has billions of dollars in oil and gas revenue would receive
an increase in U.S. funding while the neighbor it blockades sees
its funding decrease. This budget request not only undercuts what
Congress has appropriated, but does not help strengthen stability in
the South Caucasus," added Ardouny. "In addition, this does not send
the right message to Armenia, an ally whose relationship with the
U.S. was described this week by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as
‘a very lasting and durable one,’" concluded Ardouny.
On the campaign trail in 2008, then-Senator Obama issued a statement
which read:
As President, I will maintain our assistance to Armenia, which has been
a reliable partner in the fight against terrorism and extremism. I
will promote Armenian security by seeking an end to the Turkish
and Azerbaijani blockades, and by working for a lasting and durable
settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all
parties, and based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles
of democracy and self determination. And my Administration will
help foster Armenia’s growth and development through expanded trade
and targeted aid, and by strengthening the commercial, political,
military, developmental, and cultural relationships between the
U.S. and Armenian governments.
The proposed FY 2010 budget cut funding to Armenia, recommending $30
million in Economic Assistance, a decrease from FY 2009 level of $48
million. Additionally, the budget did not include funding for Nagorno
Karabakh, while in FY 2009 Congress approved $8 million.
The Administration’s FY 2010 funding proposal for Foreign Military
Financing (FMF) calls for $4 million for Azerbaijan and only $3 million
for Armenia. The proposed budget also suggests $900,000 for Azerbaijan
versus $450,000 for Armenia in International Military Education and
Training (IMET) assistance.
Ardouny stated that the Assembly will work with its friends in
Congress to reverse this proposal on all levels. In previous years,
the combined effort of the Assembly and the Armenian-American community
has resulted in continuous security aid parity.