US plans to cut aid to countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia

As reported by the online edition EURASINET.org, according to the new budget proposed by the Obama administration on 14 February, the United States intends to reduce funding for programs of assistance to mostcountries of the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The information site said aid to Azerbaijan has been significantly cut, but that the aid to Georgia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as compared with the previous year, will decrease only slightly. The total allocation for assistance to the eight countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia will fall by about 4% - from $ 241 million to $232 million - while the overall State Department budget will increase by approximately 1%.