Bryan Ardouny calls to allocate not less than $75 million for Armenia in fiscal 2008
Testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations Appropriations and Related Programs, which decides assistance levels to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, Bryan Ardouny, Executive Director of the Armenian Assembly of America, urged the Subcommittee to continue funding for Armenia at "not less than" $75 million and to allocate $10 million for Nagorno Karabakh.
"It is essential that significant assistance to Armenia be maintained in the face of the fourteen-year blockades by its neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan," said Ardouny, and also noted the "compelling humanitarian and development needs" in Karabakh. "We also urge the Subcommittee to institute new report language requiring a full accounting of the steps the U.S. has taken and the responses therein to eliminate these blockades," he continued.
With respect to regional cooperation, Ardouny stressed that "ongoing attempts to isolate Armenia, such as the Azeri-proposed rail bypass of Armenia, run counter to U.S. policy goals," and urged the Subcommittee to build upon legislation (H.R. 3361) introduced last Congress by Subcommittee Member and Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) to combat such attempts and look for opportunities to promote regional cooperation. "For example, funding should be made available to provide for minor repairs needed to open the existing Kars-Gyumri rail link between Turkey and Armenia."
Ardouny also expressed the Armenian Assembly's extreme concern with the "inclusion of counterproductive language" in State Department reports and noted that language "labeling Armenia as an occupier is not only patently false, but also directly contradicts the U.S. role as a mediator and undermines" U.S. credibility. Ardouny's testimony urged that it be "corrected post haste."
While noting that the Armenian Assembly supports the purpose of the Millennium Challenge Act (MCA) to improve democracy and good governance in Armenia, Ardouny shared the concerns raised by many Members of the Subcommittee, including Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), that MCA funds "should not be used as a substitute" for other funding priorities. Specifically, it should not be used as a justification to cut the Freedom Support Act (FSA), which provides critically important assistance programs to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Ardouny drew attention to Azerbaijan's ongoing war rhetoric, "despite U.S. demands to cease such provocative actions," and called on the Subcommittee to carefully monitor U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan "to ensure that the principle of military and security parity" envisioned with the conditional waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act "is maintained throughout all funding areas." Further, should Baku continue its anti-Armenian rhetoric, Ardouny urged the Subcommittee "to suspend the waiver authority it granted and reinstate Section 907" of the Freedom Support Act.
Ardouny also underscored the importance of Armenia's energy security and "urged the Subcommittee to utilize the tools at its disposal to pave the way for Armenia's full inclusion in, and contribution to, existing and future energy and development projects."
"It is essential that significant assistance to Armenia be maintained in the face of the fourteen-year blockades by its neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan," said Ardouny, and also noted the "compelling humanitarian and development needs" in Karabakh. "We also urge the Subcommittee to institute new report language requiring a full accounting of the steps the U.S. has taken and the responses therein to eliminate these blockades," he continued.
With respect to regional cooperation, Ardouny stressed that "ongoing attempts to isolate Armenia, such as the Azeri-proposed rail bypass of Armenia, run counter to U.S. policy goals," and urged the Subcommittee to build upon legislation (H.R. 3361) introduced last Congress by Subcommittee Member and Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) to combat such attempts and look for opportunities to promote regional cooperation. "For example, funding should be made available to provide for minor repairs needed to open the existing Kars-Gyumri rail link between Turkey and Armenia."
Ardouny also expressed the Armenian Assembly's extreme concern with the "inclusion of counterproductive language" in State Department reports and noted that language "labeling Armenia as an occupier is not only patently false, but also directly contradicts the U.S. role as a mediator and undermines" U.S. credibility. Ardouny's testimony urged that it be "corrected post haste."
While noting that the Armenian Assembly supports the purpose of the Millennium Challenge Act (MCA) to improve democracy and good governance in Armenia, Ardouny shared the concerns raised by many Members of the Subcommittee, including Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), that MCA funds "should not be used as a substitute" for other funding priorities. Specifically, it should not be used as a justification to cut the Freedom Support Act (FSA), which provides critically important assistance programs to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Ardouny drew attention to Azerbaijan's ongoing war rhetoric, "despite U.S. demands to cease such provocative actions," and called on the Subcommittee to carefully monitor U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan "to ensure that the principle of military and security parity" envisioned with the conditional waiver of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act "is maintained throughout all funding areas." Further, should Baku continue its anti-Armenian rhetoric, Ardouny urged the Subcommittee "to suspend the waiver authority it granted and reinstate Section 907" of the Freedom Support Act.
Ardouny also underscored the importance of Armenia's energy security and "urged the Subcommittee to utilize the tools at its disposal to pave the way for Armenia's full inclusion in, and contribution to, existing and future energy and development projects."
