ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2007

USA highly appreciates Armenia’s participation in international
peacekeeping efforts in Iraq

YEREVAN, October 11. /ARKA/. The USA. highly appreciates Armenia’s
participation in international peacekeeping efforts in Iraq, Debra
Cagan, the assistant to the U.S. deputy defense secretary, said as
met with Michael Haroutounyan, Armenian defense minister, on Thursday
in Yerevan.

Seyran Shahsouvaryan, the spokesman of Armenian Defense Ministry,
told ARKA News Agency that Cagan expressed gratitude to Armenian
government and Defense Ministry for Armenian peacekeepers’
contribution to peacekeeping process in Iraq.

She said that a representative of the U.S. Defense Department has met
Armenian peacekeepers in Iraq and found them brave and courageous.

Military cooperation between Armenia and the United States, defense
reforms being implemented in Armenia and U.S.-run programs were
discussed at the meeting.

The sixth rotation of Armenian peacekeeping contingent is now in
Iraq. The 46-member group comprises of two officers, three military
doctors, ten field engineers and 31 car drivers.
For the first time, Armenian servicemen were dispatched to Iraq for
peacekeeping mission on January 25, 2005.

As many as 300 Armenian peacekeepers have been sent in Iraq since
then. -0—