ARMENIA: YEREVAN TO SEND 40 PEACEKEEPERS TO AFGHANISTAN
Euroasianet
Dec 4 2009
NY
Armenia has announced it will send 40 peacekeepers in February 2010
to Afghanistan to participate in the US- and NATO-led stabilization
campaign.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that his country of 3 million
had an international obligation to make a contribution to global
security, the Kavkazsky Uzel news website reported on December 4. The
decision to deploy troops is subject to legislative approval.
Armenia’s neighbor, Georgia, has pledged to increase its peacekeeping
presence in Afghanistan to 800 troops. Tbilisi’s increased commitment
is seen as a deal-sweetener for Georgia’s long-standing bid to
join NATO.
Meanwhile, the largest and richest South Caucasus country, Azerbaijan,
which maintains a comparatively neutral position toward NATO and
Russia, has 90 troops committed to Afghanistan.