Syrian army has “balance of power,” Assad says![]() May 30, 2013 - 16:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Syrian army has scored "major victories" against rebels and now holds "the balance of power" in the conflict, President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly told a Lebanese TV station, according to BBC News. Assad is also quoted as saying Syria has received the first shipment of an advanced Russian air defence system. Russia vowed to go ahead with sending S-300 missiles earlier this week. Meanwhile, the main opposition outside Syria said it would not take part in peace talks while massacres continued. Speaking in Istanbul where the Syrian National Coalition is meeting, its interim head, George Sabra, said that talk of diplomatic conferences was farcical while Syrian government forces backed by the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah were carrying out heinous crimes. Azerbaijani authorities report that they have already resettled 3,000 people in the Nagorno-Karabakh town of Stepanakert. On June 10, Azerbaijani President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will leave for Turkey on a working visit. 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. Partner news |