Azernews.Az

BAKU – US Senator Richard Durbin has sent a letter to the Azerbaijani diaspora members regarding their campaign on foreign aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan allocated by the United States every year, the senator’s office told the Baku-based APA news agency.

The campaign was held by the US Azeris Network (USAN), one of the main diaspora organizations.

In the campaign letters, the Azerbaijani community members urged to reduce financial aid to Armenia and ensure that any assistance provided to the victims of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is made available to the displaced Azerbaijanis as well.

"I understand your concern regarding foreign aid to Armenia in regards to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and I will keep your concerns about Azerbaijan in mind as Congress debates issues surrounding foreign aid," Durbin said.

"Foreign aid can, and often does, serve as a significant tool to promote international security. Foreign aid addresses concerns that cross international borders and collectively affect the well-being of citizens worldwide," the senator said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced up to a million Azerbaijanis. About 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno Karabakh, has been under the occupation of Armenian armed forces since a fragile ceasefire was signed in 1994.

Ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno Karabakh, backed by Armenia, declared so-called independence in 1991, which has not been recognized by the international community.

Durbin said the international affairs budget is an essential component of US foreign aid.

"The funds support a variety of programs - from diplomatic efforts in the Middle East region to fighting poverty and threats to international security globally. Throughout my time in Congress, I have supported increased funding for the international affairs budget", he added.

Reports said earlier that the US House of Representatives will not allocate financial aid to the self-proclaimed Nagorno Karabakh republic in 2012. Armenian media termed a relevant decision passed by a congressional panel as a result of vigorous effort in Congress by the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora.

The US financial assistance, provided since 1998, has been directed to the humanitarian needs of the separatist regime. So far, $10 million has been allotted to the self-proclaimed republic every year, which was angering Baku. The Azerbaijani government has repeatedly called on Congress to halt the assistance.