Trump budget seeks to slash Armenia aid by 67%

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Trump Administration's released its budget recommendations for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) to Congress on Tuesday, May 23, under which aid to Armenia would be reduced by 67%, dropping from $20.4 million in FY16 to $6.8 million proposed for FY18, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) reports.

Compared to other post-Soviet nations in the region, Georgia and Ukraine are slated for a 58% decrease and a 70% decrease in aid, respectively. Assistance to Azerbaijan is cut by 90% with a total of $1 million envisioned.

The Administration's budget envisages substantial cuts and recommends a 29% cut overall and a 60 percent reduction in assistance to Europe and Eurasia.

The budget request for Armenia includes $4 million in Economic Support and Development Fund, $1.5 million for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement, and $700,000 for Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related Programs. The President's budget maintains military parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, at $600,000 for International Military Education and Training (IMET), but does not recommend Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to either country.

In addition, the budget also restated Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act and the six customary exemptions for humanitarian and other assistance programs. Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act was enacted in 1992 and required the Government of Azerbaijan to take "demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force" against Armenia and Artsakh.

According to the budget proposal, $2.75 billion would be allocated to Migration and Refugee Assistance. The Assembly will continue advocating for a portion of those funds to go to Armenia, which has accepted an influx of refugees as a result of the crisis in Syria.

In the Assembly testimony submitted last month, Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny requested $40 million to support Armenia's efforts to serve as a regional safe haven for refugees. Additionally, the Assembly's testimony called for: $40 million in U.S. economic assistance to Armenia; $20 million to implement the Royce-Engel initiative to advance peace; $11 million in U.S. military assistance to Armenia; $8 million to Artsakh; assistance to the Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia; regional energy security; and reaffirmation of the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide, among other issues.

As reported earlier, Trump’s vow to put “America first” includes a plan to drastically cut assistance to developing countries, including Armenia.