Merkel rules out Assad's involvement in Syria conflict settlement![]() December 17, 2015 - 10:25 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The goal of diplomatic efforts to end the four-year-old conflict in Syria is to reach a long-term solution that does not involve Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday, December 16, Reuters reports. "This is about ending the war in Syria without Assad ... Assad can never be part of a long-term solution," Merkel told German lawmakers in the Bundestag lower house of parliament, drawing applause. 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 |