U.S. House of Representatives maintained military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan

PanARMENIAN.Net - The House of Representatives has maintained military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan and provided $68 million in U.S. economic aid for Armenia, the Armenian Assembly of America reported.



The Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, which passed by a vote of 241 to 178, also allocates up to $6 million for Nagorno Karabakh in humanitarian assistance.



Additionally, the legislation calls for $3 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and $500,000 in International Military Education and Training (IMET) for both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Funding to Armenia, although less than the nearly $75 million Congress appropriated in FY 2007, was almost double the Administration's request of $35 million. The bill also maintains Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.



"The Armenian Assembly thanks the leadership of House State Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Ranking Member Frank Wolf (R-VA) as well as the bipartisan support of the Subcommittee Members, which includes Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) along with Caucus Members, Jesse Jackson (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Ben Chandler (D-KY), Steve Israel (D-NY), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Steven Rothman (D-NJ)," said Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.



"U.S. assistance to Armenia and Karabakh will help strengthen economic development and offset the impact of the Turkish and Azeri blockades," Ardouny added. "We will continue to advocate for $75 million for Armenia and $10 million for Nagorno Karabakh as the bill moves through the legislative process."



Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chair Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), in reference to the passage of the bill said, "I strongly believe that U.S. investment is essential to Armenia. Sadly, the people of Armenia are still faced with the devastating impact of Turkey's and Azerbaijan's illegal dual blockade, costing Armenians an estimated $720 million annually. Despite these obstacles, Armenia continues to successfully implement economic and democratic reforms. As a result of these reforms, supported by U.S. economic development programs, Armenia's economy has grown by more than 10 percent in each of the past 6 years."



Pallone also added, "I hope to work with Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Member Wolf over the coming months to explore the possibility of increasing this aid to previous levels of $75 million. Unfortunately, the President's FY 2008 budget request called for 20 percent more military aid to Azerbaijan than to Armenia. That request was a clear breach of an agreement struck between the White House and Congress in 2001 to maintain parity in U.S. military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan."