NATO’s membership invitation to Montenegro may fuel tensions: RussiaMay 20, 2016 - 15:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Kremlin on Friday, May 20 condemned NATO's membership invitation to Montenegro, saying the step risked fuelling geopolitical tensions in Europe, Reuters reports. "In general, our stance is that NATO's further expansion is a negative process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters. "This process yields nothing from the point of view of European security." "On the contrary, this process risks further increasing tensions on the continent." NATO formally invited Montenegro to become its 29th member on Thursday, a decision that must still be approved by the U.S. Senate, as well as the military alliance’s other 27 parliaments and Montenegro’s own parliament. 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 | 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. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |