YEREVAN. – Armenia will establish three new embassies—specifically, in Mexico, Indonesia, and Vietnam—in the coming year, First Deputy Minister of Finance Pavel Safaryan informed Monday during the budget discussions at the National Assembly.  

A total of AMD 7.6 billion will be spent in 2012 to operate Armenia’s embassies and diplomatic missions, and this amount exceeds that of the year past by AMD 915 million. To note, in line with the current exchange rate, US$ 1 is equivalent to approximately AMD 406.

In his turn, FM Edward Nalbandian said they will attempt to open an embassy in Sweden, too, and that the respective decision was adopted one year ago. In his words, the consular reforms will continue and online consular services will be launched.    

Pavel Safaryan added that some foreign affairs-related functions have been removed from MFA’s duties and given to other departments. As case in point, from now on Armenia’s military attachés will be financed from the MOD budget while the country’s commercial representations, from that of the Economy Ministry.