Japan PM planning to pay first-ever visit to Cuba: mediaAugust 18, 2016 - 12:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering visiting Cuba next month to strengthen ties and promote Japanese investments there, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday, August 18, but the foreign ministry said no such plan was being made, Reuters reports. The trip, if confirmed, will coincide with Abe's planned attendance at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, Kyodo said. It would be the first ever visit to Cuba by a Japanese prime minister. "There is no such fact. That is all I can say," an official at the foreign ministry's Latin American and Caribbean Affairs division said, referring to the Kyodo report. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida visited Cuba last year and met President Raul Castro. Kishida's trip followed a surprise announcement by Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama that the former adversaries would normalise ties. 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. |