Kouchner: EU failed to pay proper attention to CaucasusOctober 28, 2008 - 17:54 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the European Union failed to pay proper attention to the Caucasus."During the past ten year, and even more, we did not pay proper attention to the region," he said after the Russia-EU ministerial meeting in Saint Petersburg. For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia will endorse any effort "to prevent aggression," RIA Novosti reports. Georgian armed forces attacked South Ossetia on August 8 morning. As a countermeasure, Russia sent troops to the peacekeepers deployed in the region and carried out an operation which was followed by recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. 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 | Government reveals details from Pashinyan’s meeting in border village Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has met with a group of residents of a border village in Armenia’s northern Tavush province Narek Manasyan wins European Boxing Championships silver for Armenia Armenia’s Narek Manasyan (92kg) won Armenia’s second silver medal at the European Boxing Championships 2024 on April 28. Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. |