Omnibus Bill Maintains Military Aid Parity to Armenia and Azerbaijan; Increases Aid to Karabagh

WASHINGTON—The 2009 Appropriations Bill, signed into law by President Obama earlier this week, once again maintained military aid parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and included $48 million in assistance to Armenia and another $8 million for Nagorno-Karabagh, reported the ANCA.

“We would like to thank Chairwoman Lowey, Chairman Leahy, and all the supporters of Armenian American concerns on their two panels for reaffirming military aid parity, approving a robust aid package for Nagorno-Karabagh, and doubling the Bush Administration’s patently insufficient $24 million aid request for Armenia,” said ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian. “We look forward, in the coming year, with a new administration in the White House, to working with our Congressional friends to restore U.S. aid to a level commensurate with actual needs in Armenia, the many challenges she faces in the region, and the scope of the growing U.S.-Armenia relationship.”