US Legislators Appeal to House Foreign Aid Subcommittee to Increase
Aid to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh
12:00 – 26.03.10
With Congressional appropriators in the early stages of crafting the
Fiscal Year 2011 (FY11) foreign aid bill, Congressional Armenian
Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ, pictured) was joined by 27 of his
US House colleagues in urging the inclusion of a series of provisions
aimed at strengthening US ties to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh and
bolstering the prospects for a lasting regional peace, reads a press
release issued by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
"We want to thank Representative Pallone for his leadership and to
express our appreciation to each of his colleagues who joined in this
effort, including, of course, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Mark Kirk, for
helping to ensure that the foreign aid bill properly reflects
America’s support for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh," said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
"We look forward to working toward the adoption of the vital foreign
aid priorities outlined in this letter."
In a March 22 letter to Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chair Nita
Lowey (D-NY), a longstanding supporter of the US-Armenia relationship,
and Ranking Republican Kay Granger (R-TX), lawmakers cited six key
foreign aid priorities, including:
Increasing US assistance to Armenia to $70 million in Fiscal Year 2011.
Directing USAID to spend $10 million in Fiscal Year 2011 for
humanitarian and development programs in Nagorno Karabakh.
Enhancing Section 907 restrictions on US assistance to Azerbaijan by
narrowing presidential waiver authority of the measure.
Upholding the Committee’s long-standing tradition of maintaining
parity in military funding between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which
includes $4 million in FMF and $1 million in IMET funding for Armenia
in Fiscal Year 2011.
Ending restrictions on travel, contacts, and the free exchange of
ideas between US officials and the democratically elected leaders of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
Requesting language urging Azerbaijan to support confidence-building
measures that facilitate interaction among the parties, in order to
address regional security, resource management, infrastructure,
development and people to people programs.
Tert.am