UN chief: conference on Syrian settlement to take place “very soon”May 19, 2013 - 15:07 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - After consultations with UN Security Council permanent members, a conference on the Syrian settlement will take place “very soon,” possibly, at the beginning of June, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Sunday, May 19, according to RIA Novosti. “As I have been asked by the parties to convene this conference on the auspices of the United Nations, I’m now actively engaging with all the parties I have spoken to: the US, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, all other key parties,” Ban Ki-moon said during his visit to the Moscow office of RIA Novosti international news agency. “We are still trying to look at a window possibility in early June but this is a matter of still further consultations,” he said, adding he was confident the conference would be held soon. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday after a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry that an international conference on Syria at a ministerial level may be held in Geneva if both sides of the Syrian conflict agreed to participate in the event. “We share the opinion that this conference should be held in Geneva,” Lavrov said. The conference would be a follow-up to last year’s international meeting in Geneva that drafted a peace roadmap for Syria. 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 | The Power of One Dram to benefit Road of Life charity The companies inform that the May beneficiary of The Power of One Dram is the “Road of Life” charitable organization. Ucom General Director gives lecture at French University in Armenia The General Director of Ucom Ralph Yirikian delivered a lecture at the French University of Armenia. Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. |