WASHINGTON, DC—The Republic of Armenia has offered a de-mining platoon and medical officers to assist in the U.S.-led post-war operations in Iraq, as well as assigning a liaison officer to the U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida.

In an August 18th media advisory, the Armenian Embassy in Washington, DC reported that, “The Republic of Armenia has maintained permanent liaison with the United States Government before, during, and after Operation Iraqi Freedom to provide all necessary and possible support to the U.S. armed forces.” The advisory also noted that, “In addition to restoration of stability and peace in the region and WMD non-proliferation, Armenia’s interests in Iraq include the welfare and security of the Armenian community in that country, estimated at 30,000 people (mostly descendants of Armenian survivors of the 1915 Genocide in the Ottoman Empire) who mainly reside in Baghdad, Basra, and Mosul.”

The Embassy advisory stated, specifically, that, “As a friend and ally of the United States,” Armenia has:

* Offered to assign a number of military medical officers to coalition forces in Iraq;

* Offered to provide a U.S.-trained de-mining platoon to coalition forces in Iraq;

* Assigned an Armenian liaison officer to the Central Command headquarters in Tampa, FL to supplement the current channels of military-to-military communications.

In a related matter, since the end of the Iraq war, the ANCA, in cooperation with all the leading Armenian American organizations, has worked with Executive branch and Congressional officials to ensure that a meaningful portion of the post-war U.S. aid package to Iraq is provided to alleviate the crisis in that nation’s Armenian community.

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