WILL ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPERS GO TO IRAQ?

RIA Novosti, Russia
Sept 14 2004

YEREVAN, September 14 (RIA Novosti’s Gamlet Matevosyan) – Armenian
parliament will soon discuss sending Armenian peacekeepers to Iraq,
chairman of the Armenian National Assembly Artur Bagdasaryan told
journalists.

According to him, the point at issue is a limited contingent of
servicemen rather than a big military formation.

On September 6 president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and president
of Poland Alexander Kwasniewski signed an agreement on cooperation in
the sphere of security between the two countries, within the framework
of which 50 Armenian servicemen will be sent to Iraq where they will
join the coalition forces under the Polish command.

Armenian defense minister lieutenant-general Yuri Khachaturov
ambiguously assessed the decision of the country’s leadership to
send Armenian peacekeepers to Iraq. According to him, the Armenian
community and Armenians as a whole can face problems connected with
ensuring security of Armenian officers.

At the same time Khachaturov pointed out that the final decision will
be made by parliament. “”Possibly, the parliament will not confirm
the decision, but we will fulfil any order given to us,” he said.

The Democratic Party of Armenia represented in Parliament by
one deputy, circulated a statement on September 14 in which it
characterized this step of the authorities as ill-advised and
dangerous.

The party members are of the opinion that such a decision contradicts
the national interests of Armenia, the interests of state security,
and creates threat, above all, to the peaceful existence of the
25,000-strong Armenian community in Iraq and also those Armenians
who live in Moslem countries.

The democrats condemn the Armenian authorities’ intention to send a
military contingent to Iraq and call on MPs to come out against the
ratification of this agreement, says the statement of the Democratic
Party of Armenia.