Re: USA-Armenia relations
RESUMPTION OF MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACTIVITIES IN ARMENIA DISCUSSED
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan, who was in Washington, met
yesterday with several members of the Congress Caucus on Armenia
headed by Frank Pallone and Mike Grimm.
Upon the request of the Congressmen, Edward Nalbandyan made an overview
of the Karabakh issue process and dwelt on the Armenian approaches
with regards to regional issues.
Head of Millennium Challenge Corporation, Daniel Yohannes, discussed
with the Armenian minister the possibility to resume the Corporation's
activities in Armenia.
Foreign Minister met also with representatives of the Armenian National
Committee and the Armenian Assembly of America.
Edward Nalbandyan left for Vienna where on June 6 he will deliver a
speech in the OSCE Permanent Council as the Chairman of the Committee
of Minister of European Union, the Foreign Ministry informs.
16:51 05/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
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Re: USA-Armenia relations
April 24, 2013
Obama issues Armenian statement, avoids 'genocide' term
President Barack Obama on Wednesday issued the White House's standard April 24 statement marking what he termed the Meds Yeghern...one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century."
Carefully avoiding the term "genocide" or phrase "Armenian Genocide," Obama stated that "ninety-eight years ago, 1.5 million Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days of the Ottoman Empire."
Like other presidents before him, Obama had indicated while campaigning his intention to apply the term genocide. That played well among Armenian-American voters. Once in office, though, he shifted position.
"I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915, and my view has not changed," Obama insisted.
The rest of Obama's statement went on, in part:
A full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts is in all of our interests. Nations grow stronger by acknowledging and reckoning with painful elements of the past, thereby building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future. We appreciate this lesson in the United States, as we strive to reconcile some of the darkest moments in our own history. We recognize those courageous Armenians and Turks who have already taken this path, and encourage more to do so, with the backing of their governments, and mine.
Posted by Mike Doyle at Apr 24, 2013 10:24:14 AM | Permalink
Read more here: http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/washing...#storylink=cpyLeave a comment:
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Re: USA-Armenia relations
ADMINISTRATION SLASHES AID TO ARMENIA
ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN | APRIL 22, 2013 9:09 AM
Military Parity Kept with Azerbaijan
WASHINGTON - The Obama Administration released its proposed budget for
Fiscal Year 2014, which maintained military parity between Armenia and
Azerbaijan, but continued the overall downward trend in assistance to
Eurasia and Central Asia countries, reported the Armenian Assembly of
America.
Consistent with the levels provided in FY 2013, the Administration's
budget called for $2.7 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and
$600,000 in International Military Education Training (IMET) for
Armenia and Azerbaijan, and thus maintained military parity with
respect to these accounts.
In its FY 2014 testimony to the House, State Foreign Operations
Appropriations Subcommittee last month, the Assembly called for at
least $2.7 million in FMF and $600,000 in IMET funding for Armenia.
Additionally, the Assembly's testimony highlighted the inexplicable
pardon of an Azeri officer who brutally murdered an Armenian officer
at a NATO partnership for peace training exercise and urged that the
Subcommittee "cease military assistance to Azerbaijan."
In addition to FMF and IMET assistance, the administration's FY 2014
budget also recommended that Armenia receive $24.7 million in Economic
Support Funds (compared to the FY 2013 request of $27.2 million), and
$2.8 million in International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement
(same as the FY 2013 request). In total, the FY 2014 budget provides
$30.843 million in US assistance to Armenia, which is a $5 million
reduction when compared to the Administration's FY 2013 request of
$35.843 million.
If approved by Congress, the budget would reduce US assistance to
Armenia to its lowest level since the 1988 earthquake, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America.
Combining all the FY14 appropriated assistance to Armenia that the
president is proposing, including economic, military, law enforcement
and health, his current request represents a 14-percent reduction of
his last request of Congress, as part of his FY13 budget.
The Assembly's testimony requested not less than $50 million in aid to
Armenia, which is consistent with the request of the Armenian Caucus
co-chairs - Representatives Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) and Michael Grimm
(R-NY) - who are currently circulating a Dear Colleague letter urging
support for key funding and policy priorities for Armenia and Artsakh.
While the administration's budget did not specifically note funding
levels for Artsakh, the Armenian Caucus and the Assembly are calling
for at least $5 million in assistance for this fledging democracy.
"Given Turkey's ongoing blockade of Armenia and the security threat in
the region due to Azerbaijan's ongoing war rhetoric against Armenia
and Artsakh, coupled with the unconscionable pardon by Azerbaijan of a
convicted axe murderer, the Assembly urges Congress to take these
matters into account and allocate at least $50 million for Armenia,"
stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.
"President Obama, who came into office pledging to maintain aid to
Armenia and increase bilateral trade and investment, has consistently
cut Armenian assistance programs, while failing to take any meaningful
steps to promote the growth of economic relations through investment
treaties, tax accords, trade missions, or other commonly utilized
policies and practices," said Armenian National Committee of America
Executive Director Aram Hamparian.Leave a comment:
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USA-Armenia relations
CHAIRMAN LEVIN QUESTIONS HAGEL ON U.S.-ARMENIA DEFENSE RELATIONSHIP
11:56 12.02.2013
In response to a direct inquiry by Senate Armed Services Committee
Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI), President Obama's nominee to serve as
Secretary of Defense, former Senator Chuck Hagel, called for the
expansion of U.S.-Armenia defense relations, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
"We would like to thank Chairman Levin for drawing attention, during
this especially closely watched Senate confirmation process, to the
importance of growth in the U.S.-Armenia defense relationship," said
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We share Senator Hagel's
view that there is much room for the development of these ties, and
look forward, should he be confirmed, to engaging with the Department
of Defense on this matter."
In response to a written inquiry by Chairman Levin, Senator Hagel
explained "The U.S.-Armenia defense relationship is sound. As with
all relationships, there is room to grow and areas where we can
strengthen our cooperation and partnership." He went on to note
that, if confirmed, "I would continue to engage Armenian leaders to
strengthen existing areas of engagement and identify new areas of
cooperation that support Armenia's defense reforms, especially its
peacekeeping brigade, and continue its ability to deploy in coalition
operations."
In the days leading up to the Hagel confirmation hearing, ANCA
activists across America, including those in Chairman Levin's state
of Michigan, urged their legislators to engage the nominee on a range
of issues of concern to the Armenian American community. Of special
concern were statements by Hagel opposing official U.S. affirmation
of the Armenian Genocide. "What happened in 1915 happened in 1915. As
one United States Senator, I think the better way to deal with this is
to leave it open to historians and others to decide what happened and
why," then-Senator Hagel told a group of Armenian reporters during
a trip to Armenia in 2005. "The fact is that this region needs to
move forward," Hagel added. "We need to find a lasting, just peace
between Turkey and Armenia and the other nations of this region. I
am not sure that by going back and dealing with that in some way that
causes one side or the other to be put in difficult spot, helps move
the peace process forward."
Chairman Levin announced his intention to bring Hagel's nomination
for a committee vote on Tuesday, February 12th, opening the door for
a full Senate vote later this week.
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