French Defense Minister heads for Afghanistan after deathsJune 10, 2012 - 16:11 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - France's defence minister headed for Afghanistan on Sunday, June 9, hours after an attack that killed four French soldiers and an announcement that the nation would begin withdrawing troops in July, AFP reported. The attack by a burqa-clad Taliban suicide bomber was the first fatal strike against the French since Francois Hollande took office as president last month, and the head of state said the country would pay "national homage" to the dead. Speaking after Saturday's attack in eastern Afghanistan, Hollande, who has promised to bring combat troops home by the end of the year, announced the withdrawal would begin next month. He also asked Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to head to Afghanistan on Sunday. Five other troops were wounded in the attack in Nijrab district in Kapisa province, where most of France's 3,500 soldiers in Afghanistan are stationed, officials said. Three were in a critical condition. Hollande reiterated his vow to withdraw all combat troops by the end of 2012, a year earlier than Paris initially planned, and two years before NATO allies, saying the suicide attack had not changed his plans. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |