Armenian Assembly of America opposes $4 bln bailout for AzerbaijanFebruary 1, 2016 - 17:27 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - In a letter sent this week to Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) urged the U.S. to oppose any proposed bailout for Azerbaijan's corrupt and authoritarian regime, especially with U.S. taxpayer dollars. According to recent media reports, the U.S.-backed International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank are contemplating a $4 billion bailout for Azerbaijan, while at the same time Standard and Poor's downgraded Azerbaijan's bond rating sending a warning to investors that they are considered speculative junk. "Rather than reward one of the most corrupt dictatorships in the world, whose president, Ilham Aliyev, received the first ever Organized Crime and Corruption Person of the Year award, bestowed by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Azerbaijan should be urged to make much needed reforms and use its oil resources for the betterment of its people and not at the expense of Christian Armenians," the Assembly letter stated. Further, the letter highlighted that "Azerbaijan's president continues his policy of trying to resolve the dispute over Nagorno Karabakh by threatening to wipe Armenia off of the map." The Assembly's response comes as 2015 saw the highest number of Armenian casualties of Azerbaijani snipers and heavy artillery fire since the 1994 ceasefire agreement, including the targeting of Armenian schools and other civilian areas along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact. "The notion of bailing out a corrupt, foreign regime that continues to blockade and attack its Christian neighbor is out of step with America's values," stated Assembly Board Co-Chairmen Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian. "We urge the United States to use its considerable influence as a leading member of the IMF and World Bank to oppose any such bailout," they continued. Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Great success”: Pashinyan pleased with new border protocol Pashinyan has described the signing by Armenia and Azerbaijan of a protocol on delimitation in Tavush as “a great success”. |