Middle Orient

It is very important for Bulgaria and Europe to have a common position on Syria,” said Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, speaking at the opening of the XI International Conference Security in Southeast Europe – In Search Of Smart Solutions held in the Bulgarian capital city Sofia.

President Barack Obama pledged on Tuesday to explore a diplomatic plan from Russia to take away Syria’s chemical weapons, but voiced skepticism about it and urged Americans to support his threat to use military force if needed.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Wednesday said “a strong response” was needed to the use of chemical weapons and urged Damascus “without delay” to show readiness to destroy them. Delivering his annual “state of the union” speech before the European Parliament, Barroso said “the use of chemical

Russia’s initiative to place Syrian chemical weapon stockpiles under international control will only be feasible if the United States and its allies pledge not to use force, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.

United States President Barack Obama is going to Congress on Tuesday with fresh hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough that would allow Syria’s government to avert U.S. missile strikes if it surrenders its chemical weapons arsenal.

Iran “favourably welcomes” a Russian plan to head off threatened US strikes on Syria by securing a deal to destroy the regime’s chemical weapons, the foreign ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday. Marzieh Afgham told a media conference in Tehran that the proposal should include the destruction of chemical

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday she hoped “action” would follow Russia’s proposal to place Syria’s chemical weapons under international control, and that it was not just a way to buy time.

The Syrian government has accepted a Russian proposal to put its chemical weapons under international control to avoid a possible US military strike. “We held a very fruitful round of talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday, and he proposed an initiative relating

Turkey’s prime minister is set to convene a security summit at his official residence in Ankara on Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay, Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Interior Minister Muammer Güler, Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz, National Intelligence Organization (MİT) head Hakan Fidan and …

The newly-appointed U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale said Tuesday that Beirut must remain neutral from the crisis in Syria. Hale’s remarks came during a meeting with caretaker Finance Minister Mohammad Safadi.