Azernews.Az

By Ayya Lmahamad

The recent announcement of the White House budget request for the fiscal year 2023 has demonstrated the triumph of justice and added to the hysteria of the Armenian diaspora in the United States.

The Biden administration requested $24 million in aid to Armenia in the White House budget request for the fiscal year 2023, which was released on March 29. This is $21 million less than the amount allocated by Congress and approved by the president a few weeks ago for the fiscal year 2022. Furthermore, it does not include a specific amount of aid to the separatists in Karabakh.

“We are disappointed that President Biden’s annual budget-released in the wake of a government watchdog report documenting over $164,000,000 in U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan - flat-lines U.S. aid to Armenia at just over $24 million and fails to include any specific dollar amount for U.S. assistance to Artsakh [Karabakh],” ANCA [U.S-based pro-Nazi Armenian National Congress of America] Executive Director Aram Hamparian said in a press release posted on the organization's website.

At the same time, he desperately claimed that the ANCA is relying on its allies in the U.S. Congress. He stated that the coalition partners and community activists will work through the foreign aid appropriations process to significantly boost U.S. aid for both Armenia and the Karabakh separatists.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department is considering providing Azerbaijan with $9.1 million in financial assistance. Another $600,000 could be spent on military exercises in Azerbaijan. The $9.1 million figure does not include additional funds provided by the U.S. Department of Defence under Section 333. According to a report released in March by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Azerbaijan received more than $164 million in assistance from the United States under the aforementioned section.

To recap, earlier ANCA - the U.S. branch of the ultranationalist left-wing party Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF, also known as Dashnaktsutyun or in short, Dashnak) usually inciting hatred towards Azerbaijan and Turkey as a way to ensure political and financial support for themselves, urged Washington to provide greater financial support to Armenian separatists in Azerbaijan's internationally-recognized territories in Karabakh.

Armenian anti-humanist nature

Political analyst Elchin Mirzabayli told local media that the main reason for the U.S. decision is Armenia's even more explicit demonstration of its anti-humanist nature against the backdrop of world events, its lack of contribution to peace and security issues critical to the South Caucasus, the post-Soviet space, and the world at large, and its position as an outpost rather than a subject of independent law.

Another reason, according to the expert, is that the Armenian diaspora organizations, such as the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), are already losing their significance as a tool of geopolitical pressure.

"Another important reason is the realities that have developed after the [2020] Second Karabakh War, the fact that both Azerbaijan and Turkey play a regulatory role in the processes taking place in the region and the world, acting as countries aware of their global responsibility, they remain committed to their obligations and undoubtedly contribute to ensuring peace and security, as opposed to Armenia,” he said.

At the same time, Mirzabayli stated that, as evidenced by the numerous criminal cases uncovered in Armenia, the assistance provided by the U.S. and other countries has been embezzled over the years, and organizations such as the ANCA have collaborated in these matters with the war criminals who have led Armenia for many years.

"The ANCA's request to the White House and Congress for $50 million to help 'resettle over 100,000 Armenian refugees from the region' also indicates an intent to misappropriate these funds. As one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, the U.S. has been dealing with issues related to the now-defunct Karabakh conflict for many years and is well aware of the number of ethnic Armenians in those territories, as well as the number of Armenians who have moved to Armenia. Apparently, Washington no longer believes Armenians' false tears," the expert observed.

It is worth noting here that the U.S. previously allocated millions of dollars to Karabakh Armenians for demining, but based on what has become known since the liberation of Azerbaijan's territories, Armenia has spent those funds on mines. According to experts, the total mining of such huge areas has cost Armenia more than $300 million.

Ukraine hostilities changing situation

The Baku-based news website Day.az noted that the hostilities in Ukraine have changed a lot, particularly the authority, image, and role of fraternal Turkey, which has grown rapidly.

"It serves as a reliable and strategic partner for Ukraine, whose opinion is also valued by Russia. It is not for nothing that Russian-Ukrainian talks were recently held in Istanbul. The U.S. appreciates it," the website says.

It is noteworthy that the U.S. also highly appreciates Azerbaijan's position, which has stated the importance of respecting Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, in contrast to Armenia, which has always been openly anti-Ukrainian. In this regard, Azerbaijan dispatched several planes carrying humanitarian aid to Ukraine and expressed its readiness to supply fuel for the sowing campaign. Simultaneously, SOCAR Energy, which operates in Ukraine, provides free fuel to ambulances and fire departments.

In other words, Azerbaijan supports Ukraine in word and deed, while Armenia, on other hand, is known to support Russia’s actions against Ukraine in every possible way.

“So, everything makes sense Only now the U.S. corrects its huge mistake. Until now, it was the only country in the world to officially allocate annual financial aid to the Karabakh separatists. Now it won’t do that either,” Day.az underlined.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan is the economic and political leader of the South Caucasus, has the strongest army in the region, and pursues a truly competent foreign policy, which has been understood and recognized not only in the U.S. but also in the European Union. To recall, the EU initially announced a €2 billion aid package for Armenia, but only €140 million for Azerbaijan. However, in less than two months, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Oliver Varhelyi announced that the EU will provide Azerbaijan with a €2 billion financial aid package.

To summarize, the world is now witnessing justice triumph, demonstrating that the Biden administration has accepted the region's new reality. And Azerbaijan is simply fortifying its positions and expanding its network of allies.

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Ayya Lmahamad is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @AyyaLmahamad

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