Russia sets conditions to NATOApril 20, 2009 - 23:24 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia intensified pressure on NATO to call off planned military drills in Georgia yesterday, saying it would cancel forthcoming high-level talks with the US-led alliance if the exercises went ahead.Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's NATO envoy, said the military maneuvers in Georgia, a former Soviet country that aspires to NATO membership, were a "provocation". "If there is no reaction [to Russia's complaint], we will take certain steps. I can already reveal one of these. The Russia-NATO meeting of general heads of staff planned for May 7 will not take place," he told Russia's Vesti-24 television channel. Moscow sees the NATO exercises, to be held at an infantry base outside Tbilisi from May 6 to June 1, as a sign of support for Mikheil Saakashvili, president of Georgia, FT reported. 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 | 17 bridges collapse as a result of floods in Armenia As a result of floods in Armenia’s northern Lori and Tavush provinces, 17 bridges, including five large ones, have collapsed. Ex-mayor of Karabakh capital arrested in Yerevan Ex-mayor of the Nagorno-Karabakh city of Stepanakert David Sargsyan has been arrested for 20 days. 269 people evacuated amid severe floods in Armenia’s north According to the Interior Ministry, 269 people have been evacuated from their homes in Lori and Tavush provinces. Armenian delegation participating in NATO PA session The delegation is headed by Andranik Kocharyan, the chairman of the standing committee on defense and security matters. |