Threats of violence by Syrian opposition ‘inacceptable’ - LavrovOctober 28, 2013 - 16:57 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Threats of violence by Syrian opposition groups against participants of an upcoming peace conference on Syria are “outrageous and inacceptable,” Russia’s top diplomat said Monday, Oct 28, according to RIA Novosti. “And the fault, in the grand scheme of things, lies with those who fund and arm these opposition groups,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. Lavrov said the situation demanded “the prompt intervention of those with influence over the opposition.” Nineteen armed Islamist groups in Syria said in a joint statement Saturday that participating in the Geneva 2 talks aimed at ending the Syrian civil war would be “treason” and attendees “would have to answer for it before our courts.” The UN-backed conference, tentatively set for Nov 23, has been lobbied for by Russia and the United States, which took responsibility for bringing, respectively, the Syrian government and the opposition to the negotiation table. However, many opposition groups have already said they will not attend the Geneva talks, and Syrian President Bashar Assad has also implied that the government’s participation is not guaranteed. Lavrov did not name any rebels’ sponsors in his diatribe. Syrian Islamists are believed to enjoy broad support from Sunni Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He also criticized previous threats against countries seeking a political solution to the crisis, including Russia. Three Russian diplomats sustained minor injuries during last month’s shelling of an area around the Russian embassy in Damascus. Related links: 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 | Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Armenian Catholicos calls for national unity against threats Karekin II issued a message on Republic Day marking the anniversary of the First Armenian Republic. Pashinyan: Armenia’s desired goal is “on the horizon” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia is moving forward “without interruption”. Opposition leader, supporters spend night at Sardarapat memorial Police made nearly 300 arrests the day before as Galstanyan and his supporters continued to demonstrate in Yerevan. |