Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet
PRESS RELEASE
July 10, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
HOUSE ADOPTS $48 MILLION FOR ARMENIA; $10 MILLION FOR KARABAGH;
MAINTAINS MILITARY AID PARITY
— Senate Appropriations Committee Maintains President’s Request
for Armenia Aid While Cutting Foreign Aid Budget
WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday evening, the U.S. House of
Representatives approved the earlier Appropriations Committee
requests for $48 million in U.S. aid to Armenia and $10 million in
aid to Karabagh, while maintaining military assistance parity
between Armenia and Azerbaijan as part of the fiscal year (FY) 2010
foreign assistance package, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA.)
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations Chairwoman
Nita Lowey (D-NY), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-chair Mark Kirk
(R-IL) and Armenian Genocide resolution lead sponsor Adam Schiff
(D-CA), all active supporters of Armenia assistance provisions,
welcomed the House decision. Rep. Kirk noted that the bill "also
includes a new requirement for the Administration to consult with
Congress before exercising its waiver authority for assistance to
Azerbaijan granted under section 907 of the Foreign Assistance
Act." Specifically, the bill report language states:
"The Committee reaffirms that Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support
Act is still in effect, pending a settlement of the ongoing dispute
between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Committee supports the so-called "Minsk Process" that provides
a forum for negotiations toward a peaceful settlement of the
conflict, and encourages the Department of State to continue its
efforts to reenergize the negotiating process this year. As this
process moves forward, the Committee believes that all parties in
the conflict must refrain from threats, incitement to the use of
force, or other inflammatory rhetoric. Recognizing that the
Congress gave the President broad waiver authority with respect to
Section 907 in the fiscal year 2002 Appropriations Act and that
this waiver has been exercised in every fiscal year since then, the
Committee directs that the Department of State consult with the
Committees on Appropriations before exercising this waiver for
fiscal year 2010 to ensure that all conditions under the waiver
provision are being fully met."
Rep. Schiff noted that, for the first time, "the report
accompanying the [foreign aid] bill references the policy of parity
in military assistance provided to Armenia and
Azerbaijan." Despite Bush and Obama Administration calls to break
military assistance parity, Congress has maintained the provision,
concerned about providing greater military assistance to an
Azerbaijani leadership which continues threats of war against
neighboring Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.
The FY 2010 House Appropriations bill keeps foreign military
financing to both countries at $3 million and International
Military Education and Training (IMET) assistance at $450,000 each.
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved President Obama’s
request of $30 million in assistance to Armenia, while cutting the
overall foreign aid funding budget. Similar to previous years’
measures, the bill does not make a specific assistance allocation
for Nagorno Karabagh and remains silent on foreign military
assistance and IMET funding.
"The ANCA welcomes House passage of the foreign aid bill, and
particularly the increased assistance for Nagorno Karabagh and
maintaining military assistance parity for Azerbaijan and Armenia,"
reported ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "Given the ongoing economic
hardship caused by the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades of
Armenia, and President Aliyev’s consistent threats of war against
his neighbors, we are disappointed with the Senate Appropriations
Committee’s allocation of only $30 million for Armenia. We look
forward to working with Senate and House conferees to ensure that
the final bill reflects appropriate funding levels, which promote
stability and economic progress in the region."
The Senate has yet to consider its version of the foreign aid bill,
after which Senate and House appropriators will confer on a final
version of the measure, to be sent to President Obama for
signature.