Paris ministerial summit to host Sarkozy, MerkelFebruary 6, 2012 - 16:01 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to lead a team of ministers to Paris Monday, January 6 for a summit with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and several senior members of his cabinet, M&C reported, citing DPA. The two leaders and their finance, labour, defence and foreign ministers, among others, are to discuss plans to harmonize French and German corporation tax rates by 2013. The leaders are to also discuss the situation in Greece in the Franco-German ministerial council, which has been meeting regularly since 2003. Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos gave coalition party leaders a deadline of Monday to accept the tough terms set out by international lenders in return for a second 130-billion-euro (170-billion-dollar) bailout that the country urgently needs to avoid a default. Merkel and Sarkozy, who faces a presidential election in April, are to also give a joint interview to the France 2 and ZDF television channels. Merkel's visit to Paris came a week after the leader of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party endorsed Sarkozy for re-election against Socialist front runner Francois Hollande. CDU general secretary Hermann Groehe also announced Merkel would join Sarkozy on the campaign trail. Sarkozy was expected to officially announce he is seeking a second term by early March. 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 | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |