Obama administration losing interest in Armenia
By Mushvig Mehdiyev
The U.S. leadership has proposed a record reduction in an annual financial aid to Armenia in the draft budget for Fiscal Year 2016.
If the Congress approves the proposal, it would be the lowest ever American aid to Armenia since the disastrous earthquake in the country back in 1988.
The Obama administration offered to decrease the money allocation to the post-Soviet nation to $24.7 million that is dramatically less than last year’s actual economic aid of $40 million.
Moreover, the White House decided to maintain parity in terms of military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan, with International Military Education and Training assistance set at $600,000 and Foreign Military Financing defined at $2.7 million.
President Barack Obama's latest proposal of multi-sided aid to Armenia covering economic, military, law enforcement, and health fields indicates a 14 percent reduction.
The Armenian National Committee of America is deeply concerned over Washington's shrinking interest in Armenia.
"President Obama, who came into office pledging to maintain aid to Armenia and increase bilateral trade and investment, has consistently cut Armenian assistance programs. His administration is taking no essential steps to expand economic relations through investment deals, tax agreements, trade missions, or other commonly utilized policies and practices,” said Aram Hamparian, ANCA Executive Director.
The Obama administration has also decided to completely cut its assistance to the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic," whereas the self-proclaimed regime in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories has been receiving $2 million annually so far.
Armenia's expanding approximation with Russia amid the souring relations between Russia and the western forces is seemingly disillusioned the U.S. rulers with Armenia's vulnerable image. Decreasing financial backing may well witness the falling U.S. interests in Armenia, a country making a sorry show to apply international and civilized standards in its foreign policy, political and economic decisions, and behavior.
From another point of view, Washington's approach to keep balance of military skills between Armenia and Azerbaijan could be interpreted as Western giant's intention to preserve stability in the South Caucasus region that is very vital in terms of global energy security.
Millennium Challenge Corporation, a part of the U.S. efforts to provide a smart assistance for foreign countries based on good policies, has removed Armenia again from its list of beneficiary countries six years in a row back in December.
John Heffern, former U.S. ambassador to Armenia, explained it with Armenia's failure of meeting the required criteria to benefit from the corporation's programs over the past years.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation and Armenia shook hands for co-operation in 2006. But, the corporation announced the former Soviet nation non-democratic in 2008, following the fatal skirmishes in Yerevan after presidential vote and subsequently deprived the country of its financial support.
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