USAID supports full funding for Karabakh aid program and is "very enthusiastic" about public-private Javakhk partnerships

YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS:Rajiv Shah, the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, in response to questions this week from Congressmen Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA), affirmed the Obama Administration's commitment to fully fund Congressional assistance allocations for Nagorno Karabakh and to support public-private partnerships to generate sustainable economic growth in the Samtskhe-Javakheti (Javakhk) region of Georgia, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) informed Armenpress.During an April 24th hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, Congressman Schiff asked a series of questions about U.S. aid programs for Nagorno Karabakh and Javakhk. In response, Administrator Shah noted that, "in the past we haven't expended all the funds," adding that, "I know our Assistant Administrator for the region is committed to doing that and we believe will be successful of getting that done. With respect to the public-private partnership with the Diaspora community, we are very enthusiastic about that and think that also is a good model for how we'd like to work in the future. The Armenian community has been a very good community to work with. And so, we're eager to kind of get that going." In response to questions from Congressman Sherman, during an April 25th hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Daniel Yohannes noted his expectation that a new MCC aid package for Georgia would include funding for Armenian language education and for schools in the Javakhk region. Representative Sherman also directed comments and questions to USAID Administrator Shah, who, along with Yohannes, offered testimony before the panel.

Congressman Brad Sherman epressed his concerns about the Administration request to cut aid to Armenia. "I think you ought to increase that instead. And if you're looking for a source of funds you could look at U.S. aid of all types to Azerbaijan, which is thwarting our development efforts for the area by threatening to shoot down civilian aircraft that go into Stepanakert's new airport" said Brad Sherman."We welcome Rajiv Shah's constructive approach and ongoing cooperation with Congress regarding our nation's assistance programs and priorities for both Nagorno Karabakh and Javakhk, and also Daniel Yohannes' initial indications of meaningful Armenian components of a second MCC compact with Georgia" said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We look forward to taking a closer look at how these priorities are being implemented by both USAID and MCC, as we continue to bring our contribution as American civil society stakeholders to these truly transformative international initiatives."

In a related development, Congressman Sherman has submitted the following written questions to Secretary of State John Kerry regarding Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, and Turkey's blockade of Armenia.

• What is the State Department doing to urge Azerbaijan to re-incarcerate Ramil Safarov? Will the Administration tie military assistance to Azerbaijan to a reversal of Baku’s aggressive policies?
• Azerbaijan has threatened to shoot down civilian aircraft that fly into the airport of Nagorno Karabakh. What consequence would Azerbaijan face if it were to shoot down civilian aircraft flying into the airport in Stepanakert?
• The Turkey-Armenian Protocols, which were announced on April 22, 2009, sought to end Turkey’s blockade of Armenia and establish diplomatic and economic relations. What meaningful steps has Turkey taken to ratify the Protocols? What is the State Department doing to press Turkey to end its blockade of Armenia?