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Pro-Armenian Congressmen lead campaign to reduce military assistance to Azerbaijan

13 March 2008 14:00 (UTC +04:00)

According to APA, they intend to address House of Representatives foreign relations committee demanding fair approach of military assistance to Armenia within 2009 budget. Pro-Armenian congressmen demanded to reduce military aid to Azerbaijan, to allocate 5 million USD of military and 70 million USD of economic assistances to Armenia, as well as 10 million dollars for so-called â€œNagorno Karabakh Republicâ€ operating in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and to establish diplomatic relations with this non-recognized separatist regime. The White House is planning to cut 59 per cent of financial assistance to Armenia in 2009 and decided to provide equal amounts of military assistance to both Azerbaijan and Armenia. This week US Azerbaijanis Network (USAN) has addressed all US executive and legislative bodies, stressing that more than 2 billion dollars allocated for the democratization process in Armenia during its independence have not contributed to any progress in this country. USAN stated that despite US efforts, Kocharian regime was keeping its authoritarian essence and cracking down on civilians, killing 8 people and arresting hundreds of citizens, who protested the falsified election results.
Spokesman of Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry Khazar Ibrahim told APA, US congressmen, collecting signatures against military assistance to Azerbaijan, had been acting within interests of Armenian voters and Armenian groups. â€œUnfortunately, these congressmenâ€™s stance on regional issues serves not for the national interests of the United States, but their tight political ambitions. It shows that Azerbaijan carries on a right policy and develops its strategic partnership with the USAâ€.