Monday, February 18 2019 12:36

ArmInfo.. Mutual understanding of Armenia and the United States over Iran excludes Washington's negative reaction to sending the Armenian contingent to Syria. A  similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by Israeli political  scientist, public figure Avigdor Eskin.

A military contingent of 83 servicemen of the Armenian Armed Forces  arrived on a humanitarian mission in Aleppo on February 8. According  to the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia Artsrun  Hovhannisyan, Armenian specialists will carry out humanitarian  activities related to demining, mine awareness of the population,  provision of medical assistance in Aleppo, exclusively outside the  zone of military operations. "The issues of the delivery of Armenian  specialists to Syria, as well as their logistical support, are  carried out with the support of the Russian side," the Spokesperson  of the Armenian Defense Ministry emphasized. "The United States  cannot neglect this mutual understanding, especially considering the  opportunities provided by Yerevan for the implementation of the  relevant activities of the Americans.  And certainly, Armenia has  opportunities for the USA in the light of its own ties with Russia,  Georgia and Iran. Such a case implies a balanced US policy aimed at  strengthening Armenia and its own presence in Armenia, "Eskin  emphasized.

The Israeli political scientist explains the participation of  Armenian soldiers in a humanitarian mission in Syria, primarily by  the interests of Armenia in support of Syrian Armenians. At the same  time, according to his estimates, the very modest scale of Yerevan's  participation in the Syrian conflict does not leave room for  Washington's special harsh reaction, except perhaps a declarative  one.

Eskin also considers the Syrian mission of Armenia as part of the  Russian contingent as evidence of traditionally good relations with  Russia. According to his estimates, throughout the entire period  following the change of power in Yerevan, the new government did not  take a single step, which Moscow could regard as anti-Russian.

The statement of the US Embassy in Armenia published on February 13  notes that the US Department of State does not support either  military or humanitarian cooperation with the Syrian army. At the  same time, the State Department is sympathetic to the desire of other  countries to respond to the humanitarian situation in Syria and  shares concerns about the protection of religious minorities in the  Middle East.

On February 14, Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan told  reporters that the humanitarian mission in Syria is carried out in  accordance with the law. "There are certain geopolitical  contradictions, but assistance to the Syrian people, part of which is  the Armenian community, is necessary. This topic cannot be a reason  for speculation," the minister stressed.