Armenian parliament to discuss sending soldiers to Iraq

The decision to begin a closed discussion on the sending of soldiers to Iraq has been made during a special session of the Armenian National Assembly today, reported a Caucasian Knot correspondent.

On December 23, at a closed session of the standing parliamentary commission on foreign relations, Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian submitted to the deputies the memorandum on mutual understanding "On the Commanders of the Multinational Division Forming a Part of the Stabilization Forces in Iraq and Resolution of Other Problems." As reported by the press service of the Armenian National Assembly, six members of the commission voted for the decision to put the question of sending the Armenian soldiers to Iraq on the agenda of the extraordinary session and five members voted against it. The memorandum with the commission's favorable conclusion was submitted for ratification to the parliament.

14 members of the opposition group Justice, which has boycotted parliamentary sessions since the beginning of 2004, will take part in the voting on this question. The opinion of the opposition is that such a decision conflicts with the national interests of Armenia, interests of national security, and poses a threat to the peaceful life of the 25-thousand Armenian community in Iraq as well as for the Armenians living in Moslem countries.