PM: Armenia successful in combating money launderingJuly 12, 2011 - 15:16 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan received a delegation of Egmont Group Financial Intelligence Units headed by Chair Boudewijn Verhelst, according to the governmental press service. The sitting of Egmont Group is held in Yerevan from July 11-15 aimed to discuss cooperation activity between Financial Intelligence Units against money laundering and terror financing. The sitting hosts about 290 delegates from 102 country-members of Financial Intelligence Units as well as such international structures as IMF, WB and FATF. “Armenia’s authorities always rendered special attention to money laundering problems, and from this point of view the country’s rating has always been high,” the Prime Minister said noting that the Center of financial monitoring of the Central Bank of Armenia presently meets top international criteria. “Exchange of experience at international and regional levels will boost efficiency of Financial Intelligence Units activity,” said Sargsyan. For his part, Verhelst presented directions of Egmont Group activity. He touched upon issues discussed at the plenary meeting of the group, particularly, challenges, perspectives of unified international cooperation network creation for the fight against money laundering and terror financing, as well as information exchange. Egmont Group was established in 1995, at the initiative of Financial Intelligence Units of Belgium and the United States. 120 country-members of Financial Intelligence Units are involved in the group presently. The Center of financial monitoring of the Central Bank of Armenia obtained a status of full member of Egmont Group on May 29, 2007. The main objective of the group is to provide a forum for FIUs around the world to improve cooperation in the fight against money laundering and financing of terrorism and to foster the implementation of domestic programs in this field. 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. |