UN mulls sending peacekeepers to Syria – reportDecember 15, 2012 - 09:49 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The United Nations considers sending from 4,000 to 10,000 peacekeepers to Syria, RIA Novosti reported citing a diplomatic source. The source said that envoys of countries whose servicemen constitute the UN peacekeeping contingent, met on Friday, Dec 14, to discuss various scenarios of events in Syria. “The problem is that the UN has no extra resources. The UN has a contingent of about 115,000 peacekeepers in various countries, but in order to send [a peacekeeping mission] to Syria, [the UN] will have to withdraw them from somewhere,” the source said. UN and Arab League peace envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi said earlier that a peacekeeping mission was needed in the country, devastated by a 20-month-long civil conflict. The hostilities between the government troops and opposition forces claimed the lives of at least 30,000 people. Syrian opposition, however, doesn’t back the idea of an international peacekeeping mission, saying it would only delay the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. 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 | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |