Syrian foreign ministry spokesman defects – report![]() December 3, 2012 - 21:33 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi has defected from President Bashar al-Assad's government and has left the country, Reuters reported citing a regional diplomatic source. "He defected. All I can say is that he is out of Syria," the source, who did not want to be named, told Reuters. Makdissi, who belongs to Syria's Christian minority, staunchly defended Assad's crackdown on the 20-month revolt. A former diplomat, Makdissi reportedly had little influence in the system underpinned by the security apparatus in which the foreign ministry has no say. Lebanon's al-Manar Television said earlier that Makdissi had been sacked for making statements which did not reflect official positions. ![]() ![]() Azerbaijani authorities report that they have already resettled 3,000 people in the Nagorno-Karabakh town of Stepanakert. On June 10, Azerbaijani President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will leave for Turkey on a working visit. 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. ![]() ![]() Partner news | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |