Sweden's Azeri diaspora protest action didn't frustrate Bildt-Nalbandian meetingNovember 8, 2008 - 12:19 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt held talks Friday with visiting Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. Bildt said he welcomed the joint declaration this week by the presidents of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan to seek a peaceful solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, referring to the breakaway region claimed by both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Bildt said the recent war between Russia and Georgia over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia showed the danger that so-called "frozen conflicts never stay frozen." The Swedish Foreign Minister said he hoped to visit Yerevan before Sweden takes over the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union in July 2009. In a speech organized by the Institute for Security and Development Policy, Nalbandian said that the conflict in Georgia was a "matter of grave concern" for Armenia. As a neighboring state, 70 per cent of Armenia's transits go through Georgia so "any major event in Georgia, echoes in Armenia," he said. The meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow was "a step forward," Nalbandian said. He also noted that while the ramifications of conflict in Georgia were yet to be assessed, it had sent a signal that "war is never an answer," The Earthtimes reports. On the eve of the meeting, the Azeri diaspora gathered to protest the visit of Edward Nalbandian. After the action, the demonstrators handed a statement "on Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan" to the Swedish MFA. 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 | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |