US embassy cable - 04YEREVAN2662

C O N F I D E N T I A L YEREVAN 002662 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CACEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PARM, MARR, IZ, AM 
SUBJECT: ARMENIAN IRAQ DEPLOYMENT ON TRACK 
 
REF: A) YEREVAN 2517 B) YEREVAN 2648 
 
Classified By: Amb. John M. Evans for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Minister of Defense Serzh Sargsian requested a 
one-on-one meeting with Ambassador Evans in order to discuss 
the next steps as the GOAM prepares to deploy a non-combat 
unit to Iraq.  After the Ambassador emphasized the importance 
of approving the deployment without delay, the Minister 
assured the Ambassador that the National Assembly (NA) would 
consider the question during the second of two upcoming 
extraordinary sessions planned before the end of 2004, most 
likely on December 27.  Noting that the Constitutional Court 
decision (ref b) had opened the way for NA authorization of 
the deployment, Sargsian said that although the agenda for 
the December 13 extraordinary session was already full, he 
would see to it that the issue was on the agenda for the 
remaining extraordinary session this year.  Sargsian 
acknowledged that the Dashnaks (Armenian Revolutionary 
Faction), one of the governing coalition partners, would 
likely vote against deployment when the issue was presented 
to the NA, but assured the Ambassador that the governing 
coalition had sufficient votes to approve the deployment even 
without ARF support. 
 
2. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
EVANS