  Council of EU gives mandate for visa facilitation talks with Armenia  December 20, 2011 - 17:34 AMTPanARMENIAN.Net - Council of the European Union adopted a decision authorizing European Commission to launch negotiations on readmission and visa facilitation for Armenia and Azerbaijan. The decision was taken at December 19 Council sitting in Brussels, Council of the EU reports. However, visa facilitation does not stipulate total abolition of visa regime with Armenia; instead, it will decrease the number of documents and reduce the visa fee, simplifying visa receipt procedures for a certain group of people - athletes, journalists and entrepreneurs.   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 |  Latest news International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine  Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets.Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty.Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran.Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |
