*ANCA urges Armenia’s to coutner Azeri oil lobby–support aid to Armenia
WASHINGTON–The joint Senate-House panel on foreign aid will meet next week to decide the fate of foreign aid issues of great concern to Armenian-Americans.
This joint panel will make the final provisions to the 1998 foreign aid package–which will include items of great important to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Armenian-American community has approximately one week to counter the powerful pressure from the oil industry–State Department–and the Azeri Embassy. These interests are all actively working to force Azeri rule over Karabakh.
The Armenian National Committee of America urges Armenian-Americans from all over the world to take a stand for Armenia and Karabakh by urging the conferees to support the following issues: *Providing direct US assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh to alleviate the suffering caused by nine years of Azeri aggression and blockades–and to help build confidence in the peace process. *Maintaining the Ban on US aid to Azerbaijan until Azerbaijan meets the conditions in Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act by lifting its blockades and ending its aggression against Armenia and Karabakh. *Approving the $95 million hard earmark in aid to Armenia to meet pressing humanitarian and development needs and offset the devastating effects of dual Turkish and Azeri blockades. *Reducing US aid levels to Turkey by linking US aid levels to Turkey lifting its blockade of Armenia–ending its occupation of Cyprus–abandoning its genocidal assault on the Kurds–ending restrictions on Christian communities–and improving its human rights record.
For further information contact the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region at (818) 500-1918 or anca-wr@ix.netcom.com