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 | Macron honors Charles Aznavour on 100th anniversary French President Emmanuel Macron has paid tribute to the memory of French-Armenian crooner Charles Aznavour. Erdogan’s approval rating falls below 40 percent: survey A total of 53.4 percent of respondents said they disapprove of the performance of Erdoğan. Blinken says U.S. reviewing a number of aid requests from Armenia He said the U.S. is reviewing the requests to determine what more it can do to increase its assistance to Armenia. At least 2 CSTO members participated in preparing 44-day war against Armenia – PM Nikol Pashinyan has declared that at least two CSTO member countries participated in preparations for the 44-day war against Armenia. |