UN lifts all of Liberia sanctions in sign of support for progressMay 26, 2016 - 09:24 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The UN Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday, May 25 to lift the last remaining sanctions on Liberia in a sign of support for the government's progress toward peace after two civil wars, the Associated Press reports. The resolution adopted by the UN's most powerful body terminated an arms embargo on armed groups and dissolved the council committee and its panel of experts that monitored Liberian sanctions. Liberia was battered by civil wars that left 200,000 people dead and displaced half of the country's 3 million people. The Security Council imposed arms and diamond embargoes on Liberia in 2001 to stop government revenues from those industries from being used to fuel the war and in 2003 it added a ban on a major export, timber. The timber sanctions were lifted in 2006 and the diamond sanctions in 2007, AP says. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the termination of the targeted sanctions, saying this "further signals the significant progress made by Liberia and the sub-region in maintaining stability," his spokesman said. U.S. deputy ambassador David Pressman said Wednesday was a day to "celebrate" Liberia's transition toward peace and security and the council's role in helping to restore stability more than 12 years after the end of the country's "brutal civil war." 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. |