Armenian party calls for troops dispatch to other than Iraq “hot spots”

Noyan Tapan news agency
20 Dec 04

Yerevan, 20 December: The New Times party understands the importance of
[Armenia’s] participation in the worldwide comprehensive programme
of the fight against terrorism. However, this must not go against
Armenia’s vital interests especially as “alternative ways of
participating in this programme could be found should we decide to
pursue a sensible policy”, the party said in a statement released
on 17 December. The party expressed regret that “the number of
alternative choices has been brought to the minimum as a result of
our unwise policy”.

“The issue of sending Armenian servicemen to Iraq has recently
become topical again. Numerous public and political organizations of
Armenia and Spyurk [the diaspora] have sent anxious messages to the
authorities, strongly protesting against this short-sighted initiative
by the government, nevertheless the aforesaid issue will be discussed
at the NA [National Assembly],” the statement said.

The party stressed that many Armenians who have fled from the genocide
found refuge in countries of the Middle East and then harmoniously
participated in the public, political, social and economic processes in
these countries, “whereas now we are wasting the invaluable potential
of the Armenian Spyurk community”.

Speaking about the way out of “this critical situation”, the party
said the NA should discuss the dispatch of Armenian servicemen to any
other hot spot where the antiterror fight is being waged under the
aegis of the UN and “where the interests of the Armenian Republic do
not go against those of the Armenia-friendly Arab world”.

The New Time party insists that the NA should hold an open and
name-by-name voting on the issue “so that not only those who make
decisions but also those who ratify such short-sighted decisions
felt responsible”.