BUSH ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED $55 MILLION AID TO ARMENIA IN FY 2006February 8, 2005 - 18:40 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Assembly of America has welcomed the positive components of the Bush Administration's Armenia-related foreign aid allocations of the just-released FY 2006 budget, and especially the parity it established in security aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan and the reference to humanitarian assistance to Nagorno Karabakh. The draft bill provides for $5 million each to Armenia and Azerbaijan in Foreign Military Financing and $750,000 each for International Military Education and Training. At the same time the Bush Administration asked for $55 million in economic assistance to Armenia in FY 2006 - down from last fiscal year's request of $62 million. Later the US Senate had approved "not less than" $75 million in economic aid to Armenia. In the words of Assembly Board of Directors Chairman Anthony Barsamian, the organization is determined to advocate to Congress for increased funding. Details of the Bush Administration's FY 2006 Budget described Armenia as "one of the leading performers in Eurasia in economic and political reform," and said it was for this reason that "Armenia was one of the two countries in the region deemed eligible to receive grants from the Millennium Challenge Account." Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. |