The aid figures $16.5 million less than last year, but is more than the Administration’s request of $35 million. Congress had also approved $3 million in foreign military financing assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan, reversing the Administration’s bid to retreat from its 2001 pledge to maintain parity in military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan. Despite Azerbaijan’s continued war rhetoric throughout the year and increase of its military budget, the Administration had proposed to provide Baku with $2 million more in military assistance, but eventually approved only the initial amount.