Defence Minister: Sending Soldiers to Iraq Still to Be Studied

Ljubljana, 26 January

The Defence Ministry will study the option of sending Slovenian army instructors to Iraq to participate in the mission of training local security forces. This is what Defence Minister Karl Erjavec told the press on Wednesday, adding that the decision depended on the Sunday election in Iraq.

Erjavec said this was a political decision that can be taken only by the government. The minister's statements come after Prime Minister Janez Jansa has said that the government would consider the possibility of sending Slovenian soldiers to Iraq to train security forces there.
"We expect the election to bring Iraq stabilisation, and if stabilisation takes place, it would be right for the government to consider if perhaps it wants to contribute to the stabilisation of Iraq," the minister told the press.
If this decision is made, it would be mainly instructors that would leave for Iraq to train Iraqi security forces that would provide stability of the area.
Jansa, who met NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels on Tuesday, also said that the government would consider the possibility of an additional contribution to the Afghanistan mission.
Erjavec said that Slovenia would continue to actively participate in the Afghanistan mission, but explained that no increase in the number of Slovenian representatives there is being considered.
The defence minister also said that Slovenia was very much interested in the stabilisation of the Balkans, which is why it will continue to be active and strongly present in this area.
However, being a NATO member, it would be right if Slovenia is also active in other areas, such as Afghanistan and - if such a political decision is made - in Iraq as well.
"But we are not giving up our presence in SE Europe and the Balkans, particularly now that Slovenia presides over the OSCE and everyone expects the country to be active in the region," the minister told the press on Wednesday.

Defence Minister: Sending Soldiers to Iraq Still to Be Studied

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