Turkey removed its brigade of special forces from EU International Forces causing shock in BrusselsJune 14, 2007 - 15:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey removed its brigade of special forces from the make-up of International Forces of the European Union. The contingent was strengthened by aviation and worships. Such a decision was made for the first time in the history of the Union and it has already caused shock in Brussels. It is Ankara's response to the refusal of EUFOR Command to recognize the right of the Turkish side to head the peacekeeping elements of the European Union despite Turks' support for EU's operations in various places, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Congo. For the first time in the history of EU an entire brigade of a country, strengthened by aviation and worships, is being removed. "By this gesture Ankara makes it clear that Turkey will not any more provide its specially formed brigade to conduct operations under the EU leadership," Sabah newspaper reports. 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 | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. 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. |