SARGSYAN PROPOSES EXTENDING ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN IRAQ FOR ANOTHER YEAR

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2006 17:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s participation in peacekeeping mission in
Iraq promotes enhancement of international authority of the Republic
and its Armed Forces, Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan
stated at the Parliament Tuesday, when proposing to extend the term
of the peacekeeping mission of the Armenian contingent in Iraq for
another year. The Defense Minister remarked that since 2000 Armenia
participates in peacekeeping missions in Kosovo, then in Iraq. Armenia
cannot stay aside of international integration processes in defense
that continue today, the Armenian Defense Minister said. Sargsyan
added that active participation of the Armenian contingent in the
peacekeeping mission in Iraq provides additional levers for protecting
national interests in relations with international organizations.

Sargsyan reminded that along with Armenia the other two South Caucasus
republics also take part in the peacekeeping mission. Azerbaijan
is represented by 151 servicemen, while Georgia has 864 servicemen
in Iraq.

At that in the words of the Armenian Defense Minister, as different
from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia directly participate in armed
operations in Iraq. "In this respect Armenia remaining neutral may
have a negative impact on some directions of military cooperation
with some countries," Sargsyan remarked, reports Novosti-Armenia.

The third shift of Armenian peacekeepers, being in Iraq, involves
three staff officers, two medical officers, 10 sappers and a transport
platoon (31 drivers).