Middle Orient

Bulgaria has asked for an additional EUR 6 M in order to cope with the ongoing refugee influx, Bulgarian Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev revealed on Monday. Yovchev, who attended an emergency cabinet sitting over the refugee crisis, told reporters

The US condemned Syrian regime for its siege of suburbs in Damascus, calling on government “to allow immediate and unfettered humanitarian access to these areas,” particularly on Muadamiyet Al-Cham, where residents have been without “basic necessities” for nearly a year.

Recent developments in Egypt, Libya and Syria are on the agenda of the formal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday. According to EU sources, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton will brief the ministers about her recent trip to Cairo.

A SUICIDE bomber driving a truck packed with 1.5 tons of explosives killed at least 31 people and wounded dozens in the Syrian city of Hama yesterday. The man blew himself up inside the vehicle on a busy road on the outskirts of the city in central Syria, the SANA …

Saudi Arabia has turned down a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, accusing the world body of failing to deal with the Syrian crisis. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said that the UN needs to be reformed, and in particular the Security Council.

Syrian air force jets bombarded the eastern city of Deir al-Zor on Friday after heavy overnight clashes and the killing of one of President Bashar Assad’s top military intelligence officers, activists said. General Jama’a Jama’a was shot dead on Thursday by snipers in the midst of a

The EU Friday said it continues to condemn in the strongest terms the ongoing violence and the widespread and systematic violations of human rights in Syria. A statement released by the office of EU high Representative Catherine Ashton said the EU “remains deeply concerned by the regional effects of the …

Cyprus said on Friday that it has approved the establishment of a support base on the Mediterranean island for chemical weapons inspectors deployed in war-hit Syria. “The Council of Ministers has ratified the agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and the UN-OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) for the

Turkish Interior Minister Muammer Guler has denied statements that his country is constructing a wall along its border with Syria. Guler has clarified that fences are being constructed on the Turkish- Syrian border

Syria’s deputy prime minister says peace talks could take place in late November, saying it is the only way to resolve the conflict in his country. International peace talks on the Syria conflict could take place next month, a top Syrian official says, claiming the long-awaited conference was closer than …