Syrian abductors demand $700,000 for Russian, Italian hostagesDecember 20, 2012 - 10:02 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Syrian abductors of two Russian citizens and an Italian national demanded a ransom of over $700,000 for their release, RIA Novosti reported citing the Kommersant daily. Two Russians and an Italian national were abducted on Dec 17 near the western Syrian port city of Latakia as they were travelling along the Tartus-Homs highway. “A diplomatic source in Moscow told Kommersant that the sum at the issue is 50 million Syrian pounds (over $700,000),” the daily said. The Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday issued a statement identifying the Russians as V. Gorelov and Abdessattar Khassun, who also holds a Syrian passport, and confirmed that Italian Mario Belluomo was abducted with them. All three work for the Hmisho steel company’s plant near Homs, the statement confirms, adding that the company had received a telephone demand from unidentified individuals for payment as a condition for their release. According to Kommersant, the hostages were abducted by one of the Syrian opposition groups. On Wednesday, Dec 19, Haitham al-Maleh, a prominent leader of the Syrian opposition abroad, said in an interview with Al Jazeera that Russians are a “legitimate” target for Syrian militants as Russia supports President Bashar al-Assad. 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. |