ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPERS TO TRAIN IN GERMANY AHEAD OF AFGHAN DEPLOYMENT

Asbarez
Jan 11th, 2010

YEREVAN (Itar-Tass)-The first grouping Armenia’s 40-solider
peacekeeping contingent to Afghanistant left for Germany on Monday to
begin a four-week training mission before deploying to Afghanistan
as part of the German contingent, Armenian Defense Minister Seiran
Ohanyan said Saturday.

According to the Russian Itar-Tass news agency, the remaining 30
peacekeepers will fly to the German city of Cologne on January 17
for their training. The entire contingent will begin its six month
tour of duty in Afghanistan in February.

Armenia launches its peacemaking mission in Afghanistan, joining the
German contingent there. The first soldiers, ten of the total 40,
have left for a four-week training mission in Germany,

The division will be guarding the coalition airport in the northern
city of Kunduz, Ohanyan said, thanking the German Army for its "overall
support" to Armenia’s soliders both in Germany and in Afghanistan.

Armenia has been an active partner in the NATO-led peacekeeping
operations in Kosovo and Iraq since 2003.