ANCA ‘saddened, but not surprised’ over Obama’s call for aid reduction

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reacted to U.S. President Barack Obama’s call for a sharp reduction in economic aid to Armenia in the last budget request of his term.

"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 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.