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White House Suggests Cutting Military Aid


Sasun

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03.02.2004 17:16

 

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Bush Administration's proposed fiscal year 2005 budget, which was released yesterday, would send four times more military assistance to Azerbaijan than Armenia. In the opinion of the Armenian National Committee of America, it will break the military aid parity understanding between the Administration and Congress reached in 2002. The budget includes a proposed $62 million allocation in economic aid to Armenia, reflecting a $13 million decrease from the fiscal year 2004 aid bill approved by Congress. Meanwhile, assistance levels to Azerbaijan remain at $38 million. According to the source, as compared with the previous year, 2005 budget reduces overall assistance to the independent states of the former Soviet Union by approximately $33 million. It should be noted that the budget proposed by the US Administration has be discussed and approved by the Congress.

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Senate Approves "Not Less Than" $75 Million for Armenia in '04 Assembly hails Senator McConnell's leadership

 

Armenian Reporter International

 

WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate last Thursday approved the Omnibus Bill for Fiscal Year 2004, which provides "not less than" $75 million in U.S. assistance to Armenia and an additional $5 million in humanitarian assistance to Nagorno Karabagh. The bill also calls for $2.5 million for Foreign Military Financing (FMF), which will be used to enhance communication capabilities and $900,000 for International Military Education and Training (IMET). "We commend Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the Majority Whip and Chairman of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, for his steadfast leadership on Armenian issues. We also appreciate the work of the Subcommittee's Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and the Members of the Subcommittee for securing this much-needed aid," Armenian Assembly Board of Directors Vice Chair Anthony Barsamian said. "Armenia is at an important stage in the development of its market economy and the support of the U.S. government, particularly through its technical and developmental assistance, continues to be an essential component of Armenia's economic reform and performance."

 

 

"We also thank Congressman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), the Armenian Caucus Co-Chair, who serves on the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ), the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chair and Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, for their commitment and hard work on this issue." "Armenian Caucus Co-Chair, Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Caucus Member Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY) should also be praised for their ongoing work on behalf of our community, specifically a letter they issued late last year, signed by nearly 50 Representatives, to members of a foreign aid panel requesting that U.S. funding for Armenia remain a priority," Barsamian continued. The level of funding, although roughly $15 million less than the amount Congress appropriated in FY 2003, is almost $30 million more than that requested by the Bush Administration earlier this year. The overall request level also reflects a serious drop in U.S. assistance to the Former Soviet States -- specifically from $755 million in FY'03 to $587 million for FY'04. Despite the overall cut in assistance, Armenia's funding level for FY'04 is up one percent from last year. The bill will now be sent to the President for his signature.

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