ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPING UNIT GETS MORE U.S. AID
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug 1 2007
The United States has provided $3 million worth of new military
equipment to a special peace-keeping battalion of Armenia’s Armed
Forces in an effort to make it fully interoperable with U.S. and
other NATO troops.
According to the U.S. embassy in Yerevan, the assistance includes
desert uniforms and clothing, boots, backpacks, protective masks, field
equipment, medical supplies, cold weather clothing, and maintenance
equipment. In a statement issued late Tuesday, the embassy said it
is part of a $8 million program designed to make it easier for the
battalion to take part in U.S. or NATO-led military operations in
trouble spots around the world.
"With the arrival of additional shipments in coming weeks, the
battalion should be fully equipped with U.S. and NATO interoperable
equipment before the end of the year, thereby easing its logistical
requirements regarding equipment re-supply during deployment," the
statement said.
The Armenian Defense Ministry issued no statements in connection with
what the embassy described as the largest yet shipment of U.S.
military equipment to an army unit whose soldiers and officers
currently serve in Iraq and Kosovo.
Earlier this year, the Armenian peace-keeping battalion took delivery
of a $1.2 million field hospital donated by the U.S. military.
Anthony Godfrey, the then U.S. charge d’affaires in Yerevan, said the
donation is meant to facilitate "future Armenian military deployments
with coalition or NATO forces" stationed in various conflict zones.
He had indicated earlier that Washington would welcome Armenian
involvement in the ongoing multinational mission in Afghanistan.
A senior Armenian military official said recently that Yerevan is
considering joining the mission.
The peace-keeping battalion was formed in 2003 with Western financial
and technical assistance as a prelude to Armenia’s first-ever military
deployments abroad. The Armenian government plans to turn it into an
army brigade in the coming years.