DEFENSE MINISTER M.HARUTYUNYAN AWARDED WITH ORDERS ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPERS

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22.03.08

On March 22, 2008 the ceremony of awarding the Armenian servicemen that
carried out mission in Iraq and Kosovo was held at the Peacekeeping
Battalion of RA Armed Forces . The ceremony featured RA Defense
Minister Michael Harutyunyan. According to the Minister’s decree
a number of servicemen were awarded "Andranik Ozanyan", "Drastamat
Kanayan", "Garegin Nzhdeh", "Vazgen Sargsyan" and "Admiral Isakov"
orders and certificates. Another two servicemen Armenian Officer,
Captain Georgy Nalbandyan, who was wounded in Iraq, and Captain Vasili
Avetisyan received "Bronze medal" Orders from the Polish Army for
operational readiness demonstrated during carrying out peacekeeping
mission in Iraq. Totally 42 servicemen were awarded.

Today we have gathered to give credit for servicemen who proved
brilliant when carrying out their mission. The peacekeeping mission is
more than binding, honorable and demands great devotion. It provides an
opportunity to the soldier to use his profession to defend peace, and
we can state with pride that the Armenian peacekeepers are carrying out
their mission with particular willingness. I’m sure that it’s connected
not only with the professionalism, but also with the peculiarity of
being guided by universal Christian values, Michael Harutyunyan said,
greeting the peacekeepers.

The Defense Minister assured that the Armenian peacekeepers will
continue expanding their participation in defending international
peace. The aspiration to get integrated with the European community
creates moral responsibilities of contributing to the resolution of
problems the states committed to European values face. Therefore,
we cannot stay apart from the international efforts directed at
reinforcement of universal security, since we are not only the
consumers, but also creators of that peace, Michael Harutyunyan added.