U.S. budget proposes 18% cut in assistance to Armenia

February 14, 2012 - 10:35 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Obama Administration released its budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, which maintained military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but reduced overall funding for Europe and Eurasia by 18 percent, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).

In what the Administration termed a "normalization" of Assistance to Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia (AEECA) and "in recognition of the achievement of a number of assistance goals" in the region, the AEECA account was eliminated with funding now requested in the Economic Support Fund (ESF), International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE), and Global Health Program (GHP) accounts. For Armenia, this translates into the following requests: $27.22 million in Economic Support Funds, $2.5 million in Global Health Programs, and $2.82 million in International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement.

The Administration's Budget also provides $2.7 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Armenia and Azerbaijan, and allocates $600,000 each in International Military Education Training (IMET), which is in keeping with Congressional intent.

Factoring in all 5 funding accounts, Armenia is slated to receive $35.843 million in U.S. assistance, which, compared to the Administration's FY 2012 request of $43.450 million, represents approximately an 18 percent cut.

"While we appreciate the Administration's decision to maintain military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, given Turkey's nearly 20-year blockade of Armenia and the security threat in the region due to Azerbaijan's ongoing war rhetoric against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, funding at the FY 2012 level should at least be maintained," stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

As was the case in FY 2012, the Administration did not specifically note funding levels for Nagorno Karabakh. However, Congress has routinely provided assistance to Nagorno Karabakh with last year's final bill calling for funding "at levels consistent with prior years."

Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), who serves on the House Appropriations Committee that overseas funding to the South Caucasus region, told the Assembly that he was going to work with his colleagues to ensure robust funding to Nagorno Karabakh.