Turkey says Syrian rebels at disadvantage as not properly armedMarch 9, 2013 - 10:38 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey said on Friday, March 8, anti-government fighters in Syria were at a disadvantage because they weren't properly armed, and stopped just short of calling for a European Union arms embargo to be lifted, according to Reuters. In some of his strongest comments on the subject so far, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said he had discussed the embargo barring delivery of all arms to Syria with Britain and Germany. Turkey, which shares a 900-km (560-mile) border with Syria, is seen as a pivotal player in backing the Syrian opposition and in planning for the era after Syria's President Bashar Assad. "If there was international support ... or a common stance against certain war crimes, I don't think there would be a need for arming the rebels," Davutoglu told reporters during a visit to Britain, saying he thought such pressure would topple Assad. But the minister said he had discussed the status of the embargo with British Foreign Secretary William Hague as well as with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who has publicly defended the embargo. Top stories 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". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Pasadena to host Armenian Genocide commemoration event The Pasadena Armenian Coalition will host its community-wide Armenian Genocide Commemorative Event. Armenia: Opposition activist transferred to Investigative Committee Activist Samvel Vardanyan has been accused of insulting the lawmaker Hakob Aslanyan from the ruling Civil Contract party. Former Pashinyan envoy urges end to Genocide speculation Marukyan has urged authorities in Armenia stop discussions about verifying the names of 1.5 million victims. Azerbaijan, Jordan sign deal on defense cooperation Azerbaijan and Jordan have signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of defense, according to an official statement. |