ANS TV,
24, January 2008

US ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse has presented medals of the Multi-National Force in Iraq (MNF-I) to 16 Azerbaijani peacekeepers, private TV station ANS reported on 24 January.

Four more Azerbaijani peacekeepers were awarded US Navy and Marine Forces medals, the report said.

Derse said that Iraq's security is very important for the country's future and praised the work of the Azerbaijani peacekeepers on her own behalf and that of the US people, the TV reported.

The group of 91 Azerbaijani peacekeepers returned home on 23 January, the report said.

Peacekeeper Elxan Sahbuzov said in remarks broadcast by the TV that Azerbaijan's 150 peacekeepers are involved in the protection of a water reservoir in Iraq's Al-Anbar province.

On 24 January, independent Ekspress newspaper quoted the Iraqi ambassador to Azerbaijan as saying that "Iraq considers Azerbaijan as one of its most important partners in its foreign policy and a door to the Caucasus".

The ambassador added that Azerbaijan played an important role not only in ensuring Iraq's security, but also in other cooperation spheres.