Russian FM to visit Egypt, U.S. for Syria talksMarch 9, 2012 - 13:38 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will on March 9-13 visit Cairo and New York to discuss the situation in the Middle East, in particular in Syria, RIA Novosti reported. Lavrov will be in Egypt on March 9-10. He will meet with his counterparts from the Arab League in Cairo to exchange opinions on the key issues on the international and regional agenda. The minister will also hold talks with Egypt’s de facto leader Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi and other officials. Then Lavrov will head to New York, where the Middle East Quartet of international mediators will meet on March 12 on the sidelines of a UN Security Council meeting. Russia has been seen in the West as the staunchest supporter of the Bashar Assad regime as it has used its veto right in the UN Security Council to block a resolution calling on the Syrian leader to end violence. Moscow insists that both the government and “armed terrorist gangs” operating in Syria should be held responsible for the unrest that has claimed over 7,500 lives, according to the UN. 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 | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |