Wednesday, June 29, 2011
More local troops to help UN in Iraq
Additional troops will be deployed to Iraq immediately to assist the United Nations in its security measure in the war torn country.
Cabinet yesterday endorsed the immediate deployment of 55 additional troops to Iraq, bringing the total strength to 278 soldiers of all ranks.
A Ministry of Information statement read Fiji had been committing peacekeeping troops to Iraq since December 2004.
It stated that calls made by the UN to assist the Iraqi government in various areas had been ongoing. "To ensure security transition after the withdrawal of the United States forces by December 2011, request has been made for Fiji to provide additional troops to assist the United Nations in its security measure."
The statement stated the government of Azerbaijan presented the President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau $US25,000 on June 7 to assist Fijian troops in the Rest and Recuperation Centre in Jordan.
"The Government reaffirms its commitment to world peace and its willingness to provide troops for peacekeeping."
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=173705
Pdf May 2010 agreement for UN and Iraq - UN Partnership for Peace ... http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/reliefweb_pdf/node-354083.pdf
http://www.uniraq.org/documents/UNAMI_FactSheet-02Aug07_EN.pdf
