ARMENIA NOT GOING TO WITHDRAW PEACEKEEPERS FROM IRAQ
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.12.2007 18:05 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Despite Poland’s decision, Armenia will hardly
withdraw peacekeepers from Iraq, said Artur Aghabekian, chairman of
the parliamentary committee on defense, national security and internal
affairs. "Armenia fulfills peacekeeping mission in the framework of
the Armenian-American cooperation and it has nothing to do with the
Armenian-Polish military technical cooperation.
Aghabekian reminded that Armenia has prolonged presence of its
peacekeeping contingent in Iraq but can reconsider its decision any
time. "Withdrawal of Polish troops now or in a year is not a problem,"
he said. "I do not think the multinational division will break up
after Poland secedes."
December 18, the Polish government decreed to withdraw troops from
Iraq in 2008.
December 4, the Armenian National Assembly decided to prolong the
terms of the Memorandum on command and regulations of multinational
division within coalition forces in Iraq.
Armenian peacekeepers have been serving in Iraq since January 25,
2004. Presently, the sixth shift, consisting of 2 staff officers,
3 medical officers, 10 field engineers and 31 drivers, is in Iraq.