OBAMA CALLS FOR 19% CUT IN ECONOMIC AID TO ARMENIA
asbarez
Monday, February 13th, 2012
Preident Barack Obama
Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Maintains Parity in Military Aid Appropriations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan
WASHINGTON-President Obama has called for a sharp 19% reduction
in economic aid to Armenia in the last budget request of his term,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America.
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%, 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), both 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% 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% 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 Karabakh, although, over the past several years USAID
has allocated $2,000,000 annually for this purpose. This level
of Nagorno Karabakh 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, Senator Barack Obama promised
several times in writing to maintain aid and expand trade with Armenia.
The aid figures being proposed by the President for the Caucasus
region are as follows.
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
Obama Administration Underscores Ties with Turkey’s
The President’s budget, which features language underscoring the
importance that President Obama places on relations with Ankara,
proposes $3.6 million in International Military Education and Training
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.”