Armenia, Portugal develop diplomatic and military cooperationNovember 22, 2010 - 12:50 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado met with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Lisbon, where he accepted Nalbandian’s invitation to visit Armenia in the first half of 2011. Mr. Amado said that Portugal is Armenia’s good friend and is ready to boost cooperation in all fields. Minister Nalbandian noted for his part that Armenia is ready to take certain actions to develop cooperation with Portugal. The parties attached importance to taking steps aimed at facilitating political dialogue, as well as discussed organization of consultations between the foreign ministries, formation of contractual legal basis, visa regime relaxation between the two countries and economic cooperation. Besides, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan met with his Portuguese counterpart Augusto Santos Silva as part of a NATO summit in Lisbon. The two men discussed opportunities for establishing cooperation between the Armenian and Portuguese Defense Ministries. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. 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". Partner news | Armenia recalls Belarus envoy for consultations Armenian Ambassador to Belarus has been called to Yerevan for consultations, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry reveals. Armenia denies Azerbaijan's ceasefire accusations The Armenian Defense Ministry has denied Azerbaijan's accusations of violating the ceasefire. Armenia will leave Russian-led military bloc, says Pashinyan Armenia will leave the Russian-led Collective Security Organization, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said, without giving any dates. EU encourages Armenia to prioritize strategic projects The EU has encouraged Armenia to prioritize strategic projects, according to a statement from the country’s Foreign Ministry. |