HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE MAINTAINS MILITARY AID PARITY BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2006 16:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Early reports from Capitol Hill sources indicate
that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations today
approved by voice vote to maintain military assistance parity between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, despite the Bush Administration’s request
to break the parity agreement and provide 40% more in assistance to
Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA.)
Sources on Capitol Hill reported that the key foreign aid panel also
allocated $62 million in U.S. aid for Armenia and $5 million for
Nagorno Karabakh for fiscal year (FY) 2007. The amount represents a
$12 million increase over President Bush’s FY 2007 budget request,
but is lower than last year’s appropriation of $75 million. The
Subcommittee also rejected efforts by Azerbaijan’s lobbyists to
weaken Section 907 restrictions on U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan,
due to its ongoing blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Overall, the Subcommittee approved $21.3 billion in foreign aid
spending, an increase of $600 million over last year’s budget.
“We commend the members of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee
for contributing to the continued stability of the Caucasus by
maintaining parity in military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan and
fighting back attempts to further weaken Section 907,” stated Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “We also appreciate the
efforts of our friends to increase Armenia’s assistance above the
level proposed by the President and to provide $5 million in aid to
Nagorno Karabakh. We look forward to action by the Senate – and later
in conference committee – to bring assistance to Armenia to at least
last year’s figure of $75 million,” added Hamparian.