After the end of the cold war peacekeeping forces became a very serious and important instrument for maintaining peace in conflict regions, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian stated in Yerevan. In his words, the U.N. member states came to a conclusion that it's extremely hard to counteract conflict without this mechanism. "Presently the U.N. peacekeeping operations are conducted in 15 hot spots on the globe. Some 90 thousand people are engaged in them. Peacekeeping operations are one of the priorities of the Armenian foreign policy. Peacekeepers serve for peace, stability and security," Kirakossian underscored.