Iraq peacekeeping to secure Armenia’s role in war on terror – premier

Hayastani Hanrapetutyun, Yerevan
25 Dec 04

Text of Gayane Gasparyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Hayastani
Hanrapetutyun on 25 December “‘It is impossible to fight global
terrorism with the help of a word,’ Andranik Markaryan says”

The state budget of 2005 was adopted with a vote of 104 in favour and
seven against at an extraordinary session of the National Assembly
yesterday. Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan agreed to answer
journalists’ questions.

[Ayastani Anrapetutyun correspondent] Which of the National Assembly
proposals on the draft budget was accepted?

[Andranik Markaryan] The main proposals were related to the repairing
or construction of houses of culture, municipal centres, repairing of
drinking and irrigation water canals and repairing of roads. We
accepted some of the proposals.

[Passage omitted: Other details]

[Correspondent] The agreement on sending a military contingent to Iraq
was ratified. Was that a result of explanatory work with MPs or only a
political decision?

[Markaryan] I think both. Political work was carried out to show why
the Armenian authorities are doing that. This was also an image
problem for our country, as well as our role in the world family. It
is impossible to fight terrorism only with the help of words. If we
compare Armenia with other countries of the region, Armenia’s
participation is more symbolic and has political purposes. Our
participation is just a humanitarian mission, we shall not take part
in the hostilities. I think that the MPs were far from populism and
adopted this decision on behalf of our state to fulfill our
international obligations and preserve Armenia’s relations with other
countries, which will yield its positive results.

[Correspondent] How will the fact that our two neighbouring countries
have sent their troops to Iraq to take part in the hostilities and
Armenia has sent only a peacekeeping force be assessed?

[Markaryan] Every country decides itself how it will participate in
this or that process. Armenia thinks it is necessary to take part in
it this way, taking into account that we have a diaspora and certain
duties before our compatriots. For this reason, we should take part in
such processes to minimize the danger.

[Correspondent] Do you think that this will protect Iraq’s Armenian
community from attacks?

[Markaryan] I cannot say it will. This could be described as the
weakening of attacks. Irrespective of whether we participate or not in
processes, Armenians have been attacked in countries where there is a
war on. They blew up an Armenian church in Iraq when we did not even
speak about our participation, many Armenians died before we joined
the memorandum.

[Correspondent] Will this decision justify itself in terms of our
country’s political interests?

[Markaryan] We shall send a military contingent for one year. If we
notice a certain threat to our country over this period, we shall have
an opportunity to return to our decision once again.

[Passage omitted: Other details]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress