SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES $75 MILLION TO ARMENIA FOR FY 2004

AZG
US-Armenia
SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES $75 MILLION TO ARMENIA FOR FY 2004

A key Senate foreign aid panel approved July 17 $75 million in assistance to Armenia for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 – one day after its counterparts in the House agreed to a $70 million earmark for Armenia and an additional $5 million for Nagorno Karabagh, the Armenian Assembly of America said. The level of funding, although less than the amount Congress appropriated in FY 2003, is substantially higher than that requested by the Bush Administration earlier this year.

In addition to the $75 million, the Committee also allocated $2.5 million in Foreign Military Financing and $900,000 for International Military Education and Training. These funds are specifically earmarked to upgrade the communications systems of the Armenian military, strengthen civilian control over the military, improve emergency management and support Armenia’s landmine detection program.

The bill’s report language also expressed concern for the political and economic development of Nagorno Karabagh and offered its support for confidence-building measures to further the peaceful resolution of the NKR conflict.

The bill is expected to go to the full Senate and House for a vote following the August recess. Once the bill passes each house, a joint House-Senate Conference Committee will reconcile the differences.