US to send military assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia

The US plans to deliver 8,750 million military and security assistance to Armenia, 5,248 to Azerbaijan in 2012, the US Department of State reported.

$4,450 million has been intended for Armenia under Assistance to Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia (AEECA) program, $3 million under Foreign Military Financing (FMF), $450 000 under International Military Education & Training (IMET), $850 000 under Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR). 2,500 million of the funds allocated for Armenia under AEECA, the whole of the funds allocated under NADR ($850 000) will be spent on combating weapons of mass destruction, $660 000 allocated under AEECA and $3 million under FMF on stabilization process and reforms in security sector, $750 000 allocated under AEECA on combating transnational crimes, $540 000 on reducing conflicts.

FMF will support structuring of Armenian army. The English-languages courses and technical trainings will be held for Armenian security forces within the framework of IMET.

$483 000 of the funds considered for Azerbaijan will be allocated within the framework of AEECA program. $183 000 of it and $500 000 from $865 000 considered for NARDP will be directed to struggle measures against weapons of mass destruction, $300 000 to increase of struggle opportunities against transnational crime. $3 mln on FMF, $900 000 on IMET and $365 000 on NARDP will be spent to regulations and reforms in security sphere.

The document notes that the US aid to Azerbaijan purposes to strengthen the realized reforms. US aids will increase Azerbaijani abilities in struggle against terrorism, help coordination of security structures with NATO standards.

The document specially notes that besides enhancing of Azerbaijani opportunities in the Caspian Sea having rich resources, the programs will also help the protection of airspace, strengthen border security. Trainings will be held for naval personnel in order to increase security in the Caspian Sea. America will render special aids to border and customs services for the purpose of support the strategic trade. Moreover, it will support the process of annihilation of explosive residues of the war.


/APA/