Libya urges peacekeepers’ deployment in MaliJanuary 24, 2013 - 21:27 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - United Nations peacekeepers should be deployed in Mali once a French-led offensive against al-Qaeda backed militants is over to prevent uprooted Islamist fighters destabilizing neighboring countries, a Libyan minister said on Thursday, January 24, according to Reuters. Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdulaziz said Libya's internal security was at stake, warning of the dangers of a spillover of Mali's crisis. "Our vision is that when the operation ends, the Security Council should consider deploying a limited peacekeeping force in the area," Abdulaziz told reporters on the sidelines of an African Union summit in Ethiopia. The peacekeepers should be part of a broader military exit strategy - what the minister called preventative diplomacy - that regional powers and Western governments needed to start thinking about now. "If there is no preventive diplomacy... it will be very difficult to sustain security in the area," Abdulaziz said. "We know that if the situation in Mali deteriorates, it will have serious consequences in Libya," the minister said. Last week's attack on a gas plant in Algeria - launched by Islamists opposed to French military action in Mali - have heightened fears in Africa and Western capitals of more attacks by jihadi militants. "Strategically what those extremists want is to expand the operation in other areas, in neighboring countries to divert attention from northern Mali," Abdulaziz said. 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. |