BREAKING MILITARY AID PARITY WILL CREATE REAL THREAT FOR ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.02.2007 16:34 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan, which exceeds
the same aid to Armenia, will change the balance in the region
and create a real threat for Armenia, said to a press conference
in Yerevan AAA (Armenian Assembly of America) Regional Director for
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Arpi Vartanian. In her words, the AAA is
going to demand from U.S. Senate to keep the parity in the issue of
American military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. "We are also going
to lobby annual financial aid to Karabakh by the United States, which
was not included in the FY2008 budget. It’s truth that during recent
8-10 years U.S. financial aid to other countries has significantly
reduced, but Armenia continues to get financial means. Every year
the White House tries to cut assignations. I underline, the issue
of cutting financial aid budged to Armenia has not connection with
resolution on the Armenian Genocide and "Millenium Challenges"
program," Vartanian stressed.
As to the 907th amendment of Liberty Support Act adopted in 1992,
which bans state assistance to Azerbaijan, the AAA Regional Director
said that its preservation is necessary to keep the balance of powers
in the region.
In its FY2008 budget the United States has offered to assign Azerbaijan
a sum of $4.3 million and Armenia – $3 million.