Ahmadinejad urges Assad to stop crackdown on protestersSeptember 8, 2011 - 10:10 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has urged his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, to back away from his crackdown on protesters and enter talks with the opposition, TFE/RL reported. Ahmadinejad made the remarks in an interview with Portuguese broadcaster Radioteleviao Portuguesa. Iran, a key ally of Damascus, has blamed the United States and Israel for instigating more than five months of protests in Syria. The United States and other nations have accused Iran of helping Assad crush the uprising. Earlier in Moscow after talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe accused Assad's regime of committing crimes against humanity. Last month, Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, and the United States circulated a draft resolution for sanctions against Assad and his associates. Russia and China voiced opposition to the document. There was no indication of a change in Russia's position after Juppe's talks with Lavrov. Meanwhile, Syrian forces continue their crackdown on protesters. On September 7, at least 20 civilians were reported killed when Syrian troops backed with tanks raided districts of the city of Homs. It came as the Arab League said that its secretary-general would visit Syria on September 10 and Arab foreign ministers would meet next week to convey concerns over the crackdown. The United Nations says more than 2,200 people have been killed in Syria since protests erupted against the ruling regime there in mid-March. 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 | Viva-MTS: Tech solutions to modernize infrastructure of border village The border village has been the focus of Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values since 2015. Ucom's fixed network launched in Artashat To mark this occasion, the company has introduced a special offer exclusively for Artashat residents. “By Your Side”: IDBank's new support program for displaced Artsakh citizens IDBank is launching a long-term social support program for forcibly displaced Artsakh residents. 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. |