Merkel welcomes Arab League’s stance on Assad regimeFebruary 14, 2012 - 17:57 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Tuesday, February 14 for more sanctions against Damascus and praised the Arab League's “firm stance” towards the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, M&C reported, citing DPA. She spoke just before talks at her Berlin office with Nabil al-Arabi, the secretary general of the Arab League. Calling for an end to the bloodshed, al-Arabi said: “The killing has to stop.” Merkel said Germany would support the Arab League, which proposed on Sunday that a peacekeeping mission including UN blue-beret troops be sent to Syria. The Assad regime has rejected this. “The League has a firm stance,” Merkel said. “The European Union supports this stance and we will reinforce you (by imposing) additional sanctions as well.” EU foreign ministers are to debate the added sanctions at the end of this month. 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 | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |