U.S. ups aid to Garabagh separatists – report
A US Congressional panel has passed a decision to increase
financial assistance to the Armenia-backed separatist regime
operating in Azerbaijan’s occupied Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh region
by $2 million in 2011 in comparison with this year. Thus, the House
of Representatives Appropriations Committee, which is in charge of
endorsing next year’s budget, brought the figure to $10 million,
Armenia’s Panorama.am news website reported.
According to the decision, the U.S. will allocate $44 million to Armenia in 2011. The figure is $4m above the package envisioned by President Barack Obama, but $4m below the amount designated for 2009.
The committee envisioned equal military assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia. Thus, $3.5m has been allocated to each country for such purposes, and $450,000 is slated for military training.
Elkhan Polukhov, the spokesman for the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry, said the issue of increasing assistance to Garabagh separatists is being clarified through the Azerbaijani embassy in the United States, and further steps will be taken afterwards.
Eldar Namazov, an Azerbaijani political analyst, noted that an increase in assistance to the self-proclaimed republic is approved every year.
"Every year the Azerbaijani government and public representatives condemn the assistance allocated to Upper Garabagh. Afterwards, the US side issues a statement saying ‘we recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity’ and that this aid is for humanitarian purposes. But we don’t know how these funds are spent. I don’t see a need for any further comment. And it is useless."
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Though the separatist regime in Upper Garabagh declared so-called independence at the time of the Soviet collapse in 1991, this "independence", which blatantly tramples on international law, has not been recognized by the world community.*
According to the decision, the U.S. will allocate $44 million to Armenia in 2011. The figure is $4m above the package envisioned by President Barack Obama, but $4m below the amount designated for 2009.
The committee envisioned equal military assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia. Thus, $3.5m has been allocated to each country for such purposes, and $450,000 is slated for military training.
Elkhan Polukhov, the spokesman for the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry, said the issue of increasing assistance to Garabagh separatists is being clarified through the Azerbaijani embassy in the United States, and further steps will be taken afterwards.
Eldar Namazov, an Azerbaijani political analyst, noted that an increase in assistance to the self-proclaimed republic is approved every year.
"Every year the Azerbaijani government and public representatives condemn the assistance allocated to Upper Garabagh. Afterwards, the US side issues a statement saying ‘we recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity’ and that this aid is for humanitarian purposes. But we don’t know how these funds are spent. I don’t see a need for any further comment. And it is useless."
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law. Though the separatist regime in Upper Garabagh declared so-called independence at the time of the Soviet collapse in 1991, this "independence", which blatantly tramples on international law, has not been recognized by the world community.*
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