Military’s mandate to conduct cross-border operations in northern Iraq extended for a yearOctober 14, 2010 - 19:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey’s Parliament passed a bill extending the military’s mandate to conduct cross-border operations in northern Iraq against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, for another year. The secret session was closed to the press, and details will remain private for 10 years according to Parliament regulations. With 447 deputies in attendance, the decision was passed with 14 objections and one abstention. According to reports, the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, and the opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, and Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, all lent their approval. The pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party, or BDP, was the only party that stood against the extension. “[The government] seems to want peace, but it’s bringing up the persistency of war. It is putting the Kurdish issue into a deadlock,” Hurriyet Daily News cited BDP deputy Akın Birdal as saying. 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 | IDBank, Dalma team up for Caucasian Deer Reintroduction Program IDBank has joined Dalma Garden Mall’s Green Challenge to support the Caucasian red deer reintroduction project. Through Ucom’s support the 12th Sunchild Festival concludes On May 24-28, with the support of Ucom, the 12th international environmental festival Sunchild took place in Yerevan. U.S., Turkey emphasize importance of Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal Jake Sullivan and Akif Cagatay Kilic have discussed the normalization process between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenia coach expects good football in Slovenia friendly The Armenian national team has left for Ljubljana a friendly match against Slovenia on June 4. |