Poland, Armenia develop military cooperation in Iraq, condemn school seizure in Russia

Associated Press Worldstream
September 6, 2004 Monday 1:01 PM Eastern Time

WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s president praised Armenia on Monday for
pledging troops to the Polish-led multinational force in Iraq, a move
the former Soviet republic explained in part with a desire to boost
ties with Europe.

Polish leaders heard the offer to contribute about 50 troops during
a visit to Warsaw by Armenian President Robert Kocharyan.

“Such decisions are very difficult, but necessary at the time of
the joint struggle against terrorism,” Polish President Aleksander
Kwasniewski said after talks with Kocharyan.

Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sarkhisyan said his nation would send
transport, sappers and medical teams because it considers itself a
“part of the European family” and feels “obliged to participate in
the efforts to assure security.”

Exact dates for the deployment will be known by November, following
parliamentary approval, he said.

Poland currently commands some 6,500 troops from 16 nations in
central Iraq.

The two leaders also condemned the seizure of a school in southern
Russia in which more than 300 hundred people died.

Kwasniewski and Kocharyan condemned the seizure by terrorist of a
school in North Ossetia that ended in violence and bloodshed.

“There is no justification for such acts of terror,” Kwasniewski
said. “The use of children as shields in reaching one’s goals is a
crime that exceeds human imagination.”