75 Mil. For Arm, And 5 For Kar?

[DominO123]

Such kind of Aid, is it new for Karabagh? I mean, since Karabagh for the US is technically a part of Azerbaijan, and it is in conflict where it is known that Azerbaijan won't provide the aid, in order to help them, usually a commission is formed, as well as a kind of body, in order to distribute the aid. Like it was done in other conflicts, but in Karabagh, the proposed Aid is given like it it actually is a country. Is that usual? By doing that, is the US not indirectly recognising that validity of Karabagh government to handle those aids?

 

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Armenian National Committee of America

888 17th St., NW, Suite 904

Washington, DC 20006

Tel: (202) 775-1918

Fax: (202) 775-5648

E-mail: anca@anca.org

Internet: www.anca.org

 

PRESS RELEASE

July 18, 2003

Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian

Tel: (202) 775-1918

 

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE APPROVES $75 MILLION FOR ARMENIA;

$5 MILLION FOR NAGORNO KARABAGH

 

-- COMMITTEE ACTION OF FOREIGN AID BILLS CLEARS PATH FOR FULL HOUSE

AND SENATE CONSIDERATION AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK

 

WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Appropriation Committee proposed and

approved $75 million in U.S. assistance to Armenia and $5 million

in aid to Nagorno Karabagh as part of the fiscal year 2004 (FY2004)

foreign aid package, reported the Armenian National Committee of

America (ANCA.) The Senate allocation for Armenia is $25 million

more than President Bush's request and $5 million more than the

assistance package adopted by the House Appropriations Committee

earlier this week. Both the House and Senate approved foreign aid

figures fall short of last year's $90 million allocation to

Armenia.

 

"We would like to thank Sen. McConnell and our friends on the

Senate Appropriations Committee for increasing the aid level to

Armenia above the President's request," noted ANCA Executive

Director Aram Hamparian. "We remain troubled, however, by the $15

million shortfall in assistance compared to last year's aid package

and look forward to working with Senate and House appropriators to

ensure that necessary programs in Armenia continue to be funded."

 

In addition to the $75 million hard earmark for Armenia, the Senate

Appropriations Committee also voted to send $2.5 million in foreign

military financing and $900,000 for International Military

Education and Training (IMET). The reduction in U.S. assistance to

Armenia is part of an overall decrease in aid to former Soviet

States, from $755 million to $596 million.

 

In a report filed as a companion to the Senate foreign aid bill,

Senate appropriators expressed concern about Pres. Bush's proposed

reduction in U.S. aid to Armenia. "The Committee appreciates the

administration's efforts to graduate specific countries from

receiving United States foreign assistance, but believes the

$40,500,000 reduction proposed for Armenia in fiscal year 2004 will

prematurely terminate ongoing development programs."

 

Commenting on the proposed $5 million Nagorno Karabagh assistance

package, the Senate Committee Report stipulated that the aid be

used to "meet basic human needs, including drinking water programs.

The Committee expects USAID to consult with the Committee within 60

days after the enactment of this Act on plans for disbursement of

these funds."

 

Full Senate and House consideration of the foreign aid measures is

expected as early as Wednesday, July 23rd.