Lebanon says won’t back Arab sanctions on SyriaNovember 24, 2011 - 17:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Lebanon will not endorse any potential Arab League sanctions against Syria, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansur said, as the organization prepared to meet on Thursday, November 24, to discuss measures against Damascus. "Lebanon will not endorse any sanctions by the Arab League against Syria," Mansur, who is backed by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, told local radio before heading to Cairo for the meeting. "We will decide whether to vote against or abstain depending on the talks in Cairo," he said in response to a question, AFP reported Lebanon voted against suspending Damascus from the 22-memberArab League earlier this month, siding with Yemen and Syria, as pressure mounts on the regime of Bashar al-Assad to end its bloody crackdown on dissent. Tensions between rival Lebanese political camps are rising over the Syria crisis. The country's pro-Western opposition, led by former premier Saad Hariri, has thrown its weight behind anti-Assad protesters in Syria. Hezbollah, which is backed by Damascus and Tehran and which dominates the Lebanese government, has meanwhile said it will continue to stand by Assad against an "international conspiracy" aimed at ousting him from power. Washington for its part has urged Lebanese authorities to protect their financial sector against potential Syrian efforts to sidestep sanctions, sparking fears Beirut could be affected by possible future measures against the Assad regime. 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 | Russian Ambassador to Armenia summoned to Moscow for consultations Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin has been summoned to Moscow for consultations. Armenian border troops stationed in Tavush Starting from May 24, the Armenian border troops officially take over the protection of sections of the border in the Tavush region. Welcome to CaseKey 2024. Byblos Bank Armenia firmly stands by future innovators Strategic business cases, invaluable experience, innovative approaches and more than 25 events are in store for the participants of CaseKey 2024. Macron honors Charles Aznavour on 100th anniversary French President Emmanuel Macron has paid tribute to the memory of French-Armenian crooner Charles Aznavour. |