Japan, China to cooperate over IMF contributionsApril 7, 2012 - 11:52 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Japanese and Chinese finance ministers have agreed to cooperate over contributions to the International Monetary Fund amid efforts to help subdue Europe's sovereign debt crisis.Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi and his Chinese counterpart Xie Xuren met in Tokyo as part of their regular dialogue, AFP reports quoting Jiji Press and Kyodo News on April 7. Azumi told reporters that the two countries would discuss further funding to strengthen the IMF's financial bases so that the Washington-based multilateral lender can play a more active role in preventing Europe's debt crisis from dragging down global economic growth. Azumi said that Japan and China have yet to decide on further financial contributions to the IMF. "Although a critical moment of the European issue has gone, we can never be optimistic," Azumi said. After providing loans to help debt-wracked countries such as Greece, IMF chief Christine Lagarde has asked members to give the fund $500 billion extra for possible future bailouts. The issue is expected to be top of the agenda at a meeting of finance ministers from the Group of 20 on April 20. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Azerbaijan must respect human rights, Scholz tells Aliyev German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for greater respect for human rights in Azerbaijan. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. |