WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chair Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs requesting an enhanced U.S. commitment towards democracy-building and trade relations with the Republic of Armenia, as well as promoting peace for the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), by way of the Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriations Bill, Armenian Assembly of America reports.

In his testimony, Rep. Pallone highlighted the life-saving work of The HALO Trust’s vital landmine and unexploded ordnance clearance efforts in Artsakh, and asked for $1.5 million for de-mining and landmine risk education programs in Artsakh to protect civilian lives and continue the critical work of this program in the region.

With respect to improvement in democratic governance in Armenia, Rep. Pallone drew attention to the steps taken by the Armenian government to bolster civil society and democratic institutions by stating, “The United States Congress can aid this process by ensuring we give targeted assistance during the country’s continued democratic transition.”

He asked that the Subcommittee appropriate $100 million for economic, governance, rule of law, and security assistance to Armenia.

Additionally, he stressed the troubling disparity between U.S. military aid to Azerbaijan and Armenia, and suggested that the United States suspend military aid to Azerbaijan until its government ceases attacks against Armenia and Artsakh and agrees to a peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict. Over the last two years, Azerbaijan is reported to have received $100 million directly from the U.S. Defense Department.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sign Up for Our Newsletters

Get notified of the latest updates from MassisPost.

You May Also Like

EU Commissioner In Armenia For Talks

YEREVAN – The EU commissioner responsible for European neighborhood policy traveled to…

Pallone Leads 63 Caucus Members Fight for Inclusion of Robust Funding for Armenia and Artsakh

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Congressman Frank Pallone,…

Speaker Pelosi Visits Armenia’s Defense Ministry

YEREVAN — Defense Minister Suren Papikyan received the delegation led by Speaker…

Rep. Schiff Delivers Open Letter to President Obama on House Floor – “Call the Armenian Genocide What It Was – Genocide”

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the lead sponsor of…