South Ossetia seeks referendum on joining RussiaOctober 20, 2015 - 14:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia has said it plans to hold a Crimea-style referendum on joining Russia, a move that risks inflaming the Kremlin's already strained ties with the West, Reuters reports. Leonid Tibilov, the president of the self-declared republic of South Ossetia, laid out the plans during a meeting with Vladislav Surkov, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest advisers, on Monday, October 19. "Today's political reality is such that we must make our historic choice and be reunited with brotherly Russia so that we can ensure the security and success of our republic and people for many centuries," Tibilov said, according to a statement released by his office. "The referendum, the positive outcome of which I have no doubt, will allow us to unite our people," he said according to Reuters. Tibilov did not name a date for the referendum and said a decision about how to proceed after the vote would need to be agreed with the Kremlin. Georgia and Russia fought a short war over South Ossetia and another separatist region, Abkhazia, in 2008. After it ended, Moscow recognized both regions as independent countries, though most other nations have not. 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. |