ARMENIA WILL SEND ITS SERVICEMEN TO IRAQ

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 10, 2004, Friday

Armenia will be the second CIS country (after Ukraine) to send
its servicemen to Iraq. Armenian servicemen will be assigned to
the Polish contingent, presidents Robert Kocharjan (Armenia) and
Alexander Kwasniewski (Poland) decided on Kocharjan visit to Poland
this Monday. All 50 servicemen of the Armenian contingent will be sent
to Iraq within the framework of the security cooperation accord the
presidents signed in Warsaw. To quote Defense Minister of Armenia Serzh
Sarkisjan who accompanied Kocharjan on the visit, Yerevan is sending
its soldiers to Iraq because “size of our country and the distance
to Europe notwithstanding, Armenia regards itself as a part of Europe.”

Sarkisjan has always promoted a pro-Western course for Armenia and
its integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. It is Sarkisjan who
lobbies Armenia’s involvement in NATO programs. Yerevan has aspired
for participation in the Western peacekeeping operation in Iraq for a
long time now, and the latest developments are Sarkisjan’s achievement
to a considerable degree. There is a considerable Armenian diaspora
in Iraq – up to 25,000 people. Armenia counts on post-war restoration
contracts in Iraq, afterwards.

There is no saying at this point if Armenia’s involvement in the
Iraqi operation (following Ukraine’s involvement) may aggravate the
relations between Christian countries of the Commonwealth and the
Arab world. Religious discord in the world is deepening, and CIS
countries are undoubtedly a part of the process.

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, September 8, 2004, p. 5