US GENERAL THANKS ARMENIA FOR PEACEKEEPING EFFORT

A1+ web site
31 Mar 04


"Armenian people should be proud of their peacekeeping platoon,"
Director of Plans and Policy, Headquarters US European Command,
Maj-Gen Jeffrey B. Kohler has said at Zvartnots airport.

Mr Kohler refused to comment on the brutal murder of the Armenian
officer in Hungary. "I leave it for the Hungarian leaders," he said.

Kohler said he arrived in Armenia to thank the Armenian authorities
for the military unit sent to Kosovo and for the one to be sent to
Iraq.

"The USA is proud to have Armenia as a partner in the struggle against
terrorism and the reconstruction of Iraq," Kohler said.

The US AF (Air Force) representative also said that one of the aims of
his visit is to look at new forms of cooperation. "We need time to
properly study the potential of the Armenian armed forces. For the
time being Armenia has voiced willingness to send trucks and sappers
to Iraq."