The US did not allow Armenia to take part in the contest with the winners of which contracts for the reconstruction of postwar Iraq will be signed, as reported by Mediamax agency citing the corresponding decree of US deputy secretary of defense Pol Wolfowitz. Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Moldavia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Baltic countries are among the former USSR states to participate in the reconstruction of Iraq. All in all 63 countries were afforded the opportunity to take part in the tender. It should be noted that this April Armenia's Ambassador to the US Arman Kirakosian told about Armenia's readiness to assist the postwar reconstruction of Iraq. At the same time President Robert Kocharian stated that Armenia's restrained position on the issue of the war with Iraq was conditioned by the presence of 200 000 Armenian Diaspora in the Near East.