Armenian parliament approves troop dispatch to Iraq

Armenian parliament approves troop dispatch to Iraq

Agence France Presse — English
December 24, 2004 Friday 6:58 PM GMT

YEREVAN Dec 24 — The Armenian parliament Friday approved a
controversial government plan to send 43 troops and medics to join
the US-led coalition in Iraq.

Ninety-one deputies voted in favour of the proposal with 23 against
and one abstention, despite fears from opposition groups that the
deployment would endanger the large Armenian diaspora in the Arab
world.

Opposition parties and youth organizations have warned that insurgents
could target the some 20,000 ethnic Armenians in Iraq if the troops
join the US-led campaign.

Under the plan backed by President Robert Kocharian, the non-combatant
troops including doctors, mine-clearers and drivers would serve under
Polish command south of Baghdad for one year.

They are expected to arrive in Iraq in February.