November 13, 2002 - 18:52 AMT
ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES MAY PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL PEACE-KEEPING OPERATIONS NEXT YEAR
It is not ruled out for the subdivision of the Armenian peacekeeping battalion to participate in international peacekeeping operations next year. As chief of the department of foreign relations of the Armenian defense ministry, mayor general Mikayel Melkonian told, the probability of that will increase after holding "Cooperative Best Effort 2003" multinational military maneuvers within NATO "Partnership for Peace" program in Armenia next summer. The general noted that the Armenian party would most probably perform a peacekeeping mission in the Balkans within the composition of the Greek peacekeeping battalion. At the same time he expressed confidence for the decision on that to be passed, as "the participation in such activities will significantly enrich the experience of the Armenian armed forces."