Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Maintains Parity in Military Aid Appropriations between Armenia and Azerbaijan
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama has called for a sharp 19 percent reduction in economic aid to Armenia in the last budget request of his term, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The president has proposed $27,219,000 in Economic Support Fund (ESF) aid for Armenia in his Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) budget, which is nearly $12,781,000—or 32 percent—less than the $40,000,000 approved by Congress for FY12. The president’s ESF figures for FY13, however, do not include $2,824,000 in International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement assistance and 2,500,000 in Global Health Programs (USAID), categories that were formerly included under the ESF heading. Adding these two line items to the $27,219,000 ESF proposal brings the economic aid total to Armenia to $32,543,000, which is a sharp 19 percent cut, measured from FY12 to FY13.
“We are saddened, but not surprised, to see that President Obama has once again sought to cut economic aid to Armenia. His administration has proposed reductions in assistance to Armenia—including this year’s sharp 19 percent cut—despite the devastating economic impact of dual Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades, and Yerevan’s broad support for U.S.-led missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo, and her cooperation on a broad-range of Washington-inspired regional initiatives, including the reckless Turkey-Armenia Protocols,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Sadly, President Obama has chosen to neither keep his commitment to maintain assistance to Armenia, nor taken any meaningful steps to honor his pledge to foster Armenia’s growth and development through expanded trade.”
Regarding military assistance, the administration’s proposed budget does maintain parity in Foreign Military Finance (FMF) and International Military Education and Training (IMET) to Armenia and Azerbaijan, requesting $2.7 million in FMF and $600,000 for IMET for each country.
The administration’s budget does not include any figures for aid to Nagorno-Karabagh, although over the past several years USAID has allocated $2 million annually for this purpose. This level of Karabagh funding is considerably less than the intent expressed by Congress over the course of many years, reflecting a pattern of under-spending that has left many developmental and confidence-building needs unmet.
The Obama Administration, in addition to consistently seeking reduced aid appropriations for Armenia, has not invited Armenia to submit a second Millennium Challenge Corporation proposal for poverty-reduction programs, nor has it taken any meaningful steps to promote bilateral economic relations, such as negotiations toward a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, a Double Tax Treaty, or a Free Trade Agreement. During his campaign for the presidency, then-Senator Barack Obama promised several times in writing to maintain aid and expand trade with Armenia.
The aid figures being proposed by Obama for the Caucasus region follow.
***
Economic Support Fund:
Armenia: $27,219,000
Azerbaijan: $11,029,000
Georgia: $42,660,000
Foreign Military Financing:
Armenia: $2,700,000
Azerbaijan $2,700,000
Georgia $14,400,000
International Military Education and Training:
Armenia: $600,000
Azerbaijan $600,000
Georgia $1,800,000
International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement:
Armenia: $2,824,000
Azerbaijan: $1,226,000
Georgia: $4,000,000
Global Health Programs, USAID
Armenia $2,500,000
Azerbaijan: —
Georgia $4,000,000
Underscores ties with Turkey’s
Obama’s budget, which features language underscoring the importance he places on relations with Ankara, proposes $3.6 million in IMET for Turkey. The text concerning Turkey reads as follows: “Turkey continues to play an increasingly important role globally as an emerging power. Turkey is critical to success in the most important U.S. foreign policy priorities, including promoting stability and prosperity in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq; countering the threat of Iran; encouraging peaceful transition amongst the ‘Arab Spring’ states; achieving a lasting peace in the Middle East; securing European energy diversity and independence; countering global terrorist threats; and advancing economic and trade objectives. The U.S. is working closely with Turkey to advance regional stability in the Eastern Mediterranean by promoting a settlement in Cyprus and encouraging improved relations with Israel; and in the Caucasus by attempting to normalize its relations with Armenia. The U.S. continues to support Turkey’s accession to the EU as an important anchor for Turkish reform and recently concluded an agreement for Turkey to host a U.S. missile defense radar. The U.S. encourages Turkey to make needed reforms, including advancing religious and press freedoms. Although Turkey’s democracy is maturing, challenges remain. Representative democratic institutions have become stronger but continue to face legal and political challenges, including in civilian-military relations. Resolution of the Cyprus conflict would benefit the communities themselves and remove a long source of friction between NATO Allies Greece and Turkey.”
GREAT !!! The president of corrupt Armenia has more american dollars, than several U.S. presidents combined. The corrupt Armenian officials must punished for not carrying about the country.
Prove it.
Show us the evidence.
And do yo even know what the net worth of the last 6 US Presidents is ?
Tell us.
avery,
EX pres Robert Kacharian is said to be worth over 200 million…Where does that money come from? He was just a simple soldier fighting for the liberation of Karabagh.. OUR OWN US STATE DEPARTMENT TELEGRAMS indicate the crony nepotism, oligarch system that is taken over and in my opinion strangling and robbing our country. 1/3 of the population has left already..Why would people do that if living there was great or if this was not true? What more proof do you need?
john:
{“EX pres Robert Kacharian is said to be worth over 200 million…”}: that is definitely positive proof. I believe you. I also believe there may be Unicorns: but, have not seen one yet. Or a photograph of one.
I never claimed there is no nepotism, or corruption, or other problems in RoA.
I have a pretty good idea of what the living conditions are in RoA.
I have blood relatives and close friends in RoA who I am in contact with regularly.
{“1/3 of the population has left already..”}
You made the same claim in the [PFA Releases Report] thread.
I refuted the claim with available evidence.
Again, show me substantiated evidence: I may change my mind.
It is not logically possible to prove a negative: you are the one making the claim; you have to show evidence that “1/3 of RoA population (or approx 1 million) has left already”
All publicly available data show the claim to be baseless..
The Obama administration is more interested in supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafis he has enabled, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Armenia is of no interest or value to the West. The West is post-Christian and no longer cares that we Armenians are Christians surrounded by Muslims that would like to cut our throats. If Armenia put itself in the position of depending on the West for its survival it will perish, stabbed in the back by the West that has always used and betrayed the Eastern Christians. Look at the immense suffering of the Copts and Assyrians, while the West looks on in disinterest. Armenia’s survival depends on it maintaining its alliance with Russia. Although we are of the Judeo-Christian civilization and identify with the West, Armenia must look East to Russia and China. We should get what we can from the West but never depend on it.
Arius,
its not about religion. Its about MONEY, POLITICS and INFLUENCE….It always has been .. Why do you think that after nearly 100 years many country’s still deny the Armenian genocide or are at best indifferent? We have way less to offer. And no truth has nothing to do with it..also Russia is no friend.. get those illusions out now. They were the worst to Armenians for years in many ways still are..
In reality the biggest enemy Armenians have is Armenians themselves..if we had the ability to be loyal and support each other and really work for the common good for all, i’m truly convinced that the genocide itself wouldn’t have happened. And our country wouldn’t be a small sliver of what is left..We are the smartest people on this planet yet our own worst enemy’s. Sad but true..
Avery,
Arius ,is he new here? I have only come across him a couple times just recently posting here.
Arius, are you of the idea ,opinion that we should depend on any of these powers?
I beg to differ totally. Once a people has achieved Independence,it is a state/people(not like before)
Armenia should depend on NO ONE…
Try best to squeeze benefits out of whatever is in play.In this case, at present we ONLY HAVE OURSELVES AND AN AGE OLD ARMENIAN C A S E /CAUSE.
I AGREE NO ONE REALLY CARES ABOUT US MUCH,BUT THEN WE HAVE something others lack.Fact is we have quite a few that other envy:-
1.Our Talent in sciences, arts and work.YES WORK .We are very assiduous and can work ourselves to death…NO LAZY, in other words(an asset too)
2.If we lack harmonization that is becasue we also have two VERY BAD TRAITS.That we either overcome these or perish and/or get weaker…
A. We are over jealous to each other.Gotta get rid of that
B.We do not have the gutts TO COOPERATE Miapanil work together.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Conclusion.
Foreign agents(Turks of corse) amongst us w/good knowledge of our language have swe3d amongst us sice more than a century that and I quote.””We Armeians are not united(Masin-Miasnutyun) which is THE WRONG WAY OF SOWING THAT WE ARE o m i a p a n COOPERATIVE.
IN FRANCE THERE ARE TOTALLY OPPOSING PEOPLE AND WITH DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES they are never miasin united THAT IS ..
BUT!!!!!!! THE BECOME ONE FIST THEY C O O PE R A TE…
thence please learn to co operate WITHOUT ANY AGE OLD JEALOUSY AND WE CAN REALLY MOVE Mountains…
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CREATE miapanutun WITHIN PCA’S PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUES ASSOCIATIONS95 ON THE SCNE ,SWE LACK 10 MORE) SEEE… MY ARTICLES REA AND RE READ PLEASE.in
http://www.armeniannews.info …….on top left corner click on Users articles.Thanks
Mr. Palandjian:
Do not recall seeing Arius a lot.
I think he is new, at least recently.
May have have visited AW long time ago.
The Bush administration is the same thing…
ERRATA!!!
Please forgive above few typographical as well as incomplete sentences.
I wished to convey that “their”agents amongst us repeatedly used that sentence ,i.e.””We Armenians will never unite””..and we like parrots kept saying it,thus SOWING discord amongst us…
Whereas IN FRANCE THERE IS NO UNITY, or any advanced country amongst politicval parties and/or ideologies..
These are in constant friction w/ea other.BUT THEY COOPERATE IN TIME OF NEED OR DANGER…
\How cana Marxist or Socialist be UNITED WITH A FAR RIGHT POLITICAL PARTY IDEOLOGY OR A CONSERVATIVE ONE??
BUT THEY HAVE LEARNT TO be cooperative with each other !!!
that is what Armeians MUST learn!!!!!
Well, looking at how things are evolving around Armenia and it’s close neighbours, I won’t be surprised if Obama re_elected cuts the budget by another 20%.
I wish; on day we could say No to foreign aid, because we could boost Armenian economy and living condition by ourselves. Not that impossible, possible if there were immediate political/economical reforms and transparency in Armenian government actions.
I do not expect much change in RA, even after these so called elections and then further ahead.Changes there can only happen when the Diaspora becomes LI Irav full fledged partner and shows its weight thereat.
This can only be had if Diaspora itsself is re organized.Please forgive me but do read my articles in http://www.armeniannews.info
For that is where I write serenly and without haste and post…
Thanks for reading me there and commenting even negatively to content.
For silence after reading…bodes bad, very bad Armenian Trait….
I read your articles there Mr. Palandjian.
You are correct: much better composed and much easier to read than most of your posts here @AW.
I do not necessarily agree with everything you write, but as I have written previously, we are lucky to have a 80-year young Armenian Babik such as yourself who cares enough to participate and share his ideas with the rest of the community.
No amount of schooling can beat actual life experience (…for someone with intellect, that is: merely accumulating years does not automatically translate to wisdom).