39 House members urge increased aid to Armenia and KarabakhMarch 20, 2008 - 15:37 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Thirty-nine House members cosigned a letter this week initiated by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) urging the leaders of the U.S. House State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee to support provisions in the FY09 foreign aid bill that advance U.S. interests and American values in Armenia and the surrounding region, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) told PanARMENIAN.Net Armenian Caucus led effort urges cutting all military aid to Azerbaijan and encourages steps toward U.S. diplomatic ties with Nagorno Karabakh. "We want to thank Congressmen Knollenberg and Pallone and all those who joined with the Armenian Caucus in this initiative to promote a balanced and constructive path toward peace and development in the Caucasus region," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Armenian Americans look forward to working hard to help enact the foreign aid priorities outlined in this letter, including, notably, the bipartisan effort to put an end to the artificial diplomatic isolation that the Azerbaijani government has sought to impose upon Nagorno Karabakh by trying to block nearly all U.S. contacts and communication with the people and democratically elected leaders of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic." 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 | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |