U.S. to allocate $29.3 million to Azerbaijan

The U.S. will allocate $29.3 million to Azerbaijan to develop democracy in 2011, the website foreignassistance.gov. reported.

U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan is aimed at promoting democratic reforma, strengthening governmental checks and balances, increasing public participation in state affairs, as well as combating domestic and transnational crime, including money laundering, terrorism financing, corruption, human and drug trafficking. U.S. assistance also helps to expand and diversify the country's economic growth by eliminating critical economic policy and institutional constraints to ensure stability and sustained growth in the sectors of the economy.

Georgia will receive $ 90.1 million in 2011, Armenia - $ 45.2 million, Russia $ 68.7 million, Turkey - $ 5.9 million.

Source: foreignassistance.gov

Armenia takes positive steps in fight against terrorism

Armenia took a number of positive steps in the fight against international terrorism, says Country Reports on Terrorism 2010 issued by U.S. State Department on Thursday.

Among the positive steps the report mentions improvements to its border security, significant changes to export control laws, and participation by Armenian experts in internationally sponsored anti-terrorism training courses.

The report says that Armenia has achieved measured progress in improving its border security, including installation of radiation portal alarms at all ports of entry and significant legislative changes in its export control laws.

“Armenia participated in bilateral and multilateral assistance, security, and training initiatives targeted at strengthening its ability to counter terrorism, terrorist financing, and the smuggling of illicit and hazardous materials.

Armenia continued to make progress in counterterrorism cooperation with NATO. NATO and Armenia also cooperated on the establishment of a “situation center” in Yerevan, which assisted in crisis management and counterterrorism coordination.

In December, the OSCE hosted in Yerevan a national expert workshop on countering terrorist use of the Internet and comprehensively enhancing cyber-security,” the report reads.

Source: News.am

PM: Armenia successful in combating money laundering

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.

Source: PanArmenian