US CONGRESS SUBCOMMITTEE MAINTENANCE MILITARY PARITY AID FOR AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 7 2007
The Subcommittee approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 State, Foreign
Operations Appropriations Bill, signaling to Administration officials
the necessity to maintain the careful balance between the neighboring
countries.
The Administration, in its budget request to Congress, called for
$5.3 million in military aid for Azerbaijan versus only $3.3 million
for Armenia, APA reports. The Subcommittee action would allocate
$3.3 million in military assistance to both countries, specifically
$3 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and $300,000 in
International Military Education and Training (IMET).
The Subcommittee also approved $6 million in humanitarian assistance
for Nagorno Karabakh.
In March of this year, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ) along with 30 of his colleagues [letter attached], sent a
letter to Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Wolf urging $10 million
for assistance to Nagorno Karabakh, including development assistance,
and not less than $75 million to Armenia in the FY 2008 Bill. In 2008
Armenia will be appropriated $ 68 million, that is 7 million lesser
than in 2007.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress