Armenian party denounces authorities’ decision to send peacekeepers to Iraq

Noyan Tapan news agency
28 Sep 04

Yerevan

“The Armenian authorities’ decision to dispatch a 50-strong company
to Iraq has caused dissatisfaction of people at large,” the political
council of the Fatherland Popular Front has said. The organization’s
statement dated 25 September says that if this decision is implemented,
“Armenia and Artsakh [Karabakh], including all the Armenians throughout
the world, will face a serious danger”.

“Obviously, Armenia’s move to join the anti-Iraq coalition, even under
the Polish flag, will have a certain effect. First, this will damage
mutual confidence and friendship between Armenians and Arabs. It
cannot be ruled out that both the diaspora and Armenia proper will
sustain human, cultural and economic losses,” the statement said.

The political council of the Fatherland Popular Front appeals to
“volunteers going to Iraq, their parents and next of kin to protest
this anti-national decision and hinder its realization with all
possible means”.

At the same time, the organization warns that “if the National Assembly
approves this adventurist decision, then the responsibility for its
consequences will rest with the regime, and it will face the public’s
condemnation”.