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  • Business Opportunities and Challenges: Spotlight on Armenia,

    Business Opportunities and Challenges: Spotlight on Armenia,
    Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine

    REMINDER

    BISNIS
    JULY 8, 2004

    The Event is organized by:
    The Office of the Governor, Economic Development & Tourism
    U.S. Department of Commerce - BISNIS
    Austin U.S. Export Assistance Center

    WHEN: Wednesday, July 14, 2004
    8:30 a.m. Registration
    8:00-12:30 a.m. Presentations
    12:30-1:30 p.m. Networking Lunch
    1:30-3:30 p.m. One-on-One Meetings

    WHERE: Austin Community College
    5930 Middle Fiskville Rd, Room 201
    Austin, Texas

    FEATURED SPEAKERS:

    Irina Mitchell, BISNIS Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
    George Isayan, BISNIS Representative in Armenia
    Asel Sulaimanova, BISNIS Representative in Kyrgyzstan
    Iulian Bogasieru, BISNIS Representative in Moldova
    Andryi Vorobyov, BISNIS Representative in Ukraine
    Michele Smith, OPIC Investment Services Manager for Russia and the CIS

    INDUSTRIES SECTORS TO BE COVERED: IT, Telecommunications, Construction, Agribusiness, Pharmaceuticals/Medical, Consumer Goods, Environmental Technologies and Banking/Finance.

    COUNTRIES COVERED: Armenia, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine

    Presentations: Speakers will provide executive briefings on the business climate in their countries, and present trade and investment leads, as well as information on promising projects. A Q&A session will follow the presentations, and then an opportunity for one-on-one meetings with individual BISNIS representatives.

    For more information or to register, please contact Mortada Mohammed ([email protected]; tel:512-936-0530 or Karen Parker ([email protected] ; tel: 512-916-5939)

    ================================================== =============
    REGISTER DEADLINE: July 13, 2004!

    IF INTERESTED IN ONE-ON-ONE APPOINTMENTS, please circle selected country:

    Armenia Kyrgyzstan Moldova Russia Ukraine

    Number of people attending Names of attendees



    Company: __________________________________________________ ________________________

    Address: __________________________________________________ _________________________

    Phone: _____________________ Fax: __________________ E-mail: __________________________


    ================================================== ============ =
    WHAT IS BISNIS?

    BISNIS (www.bisnis.doc.gov), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce,
    was founded in 1992 to assist in the economic development and
    transition of the countries of the former Soviet Union by helping
    U.S. companies to export to and invest in the region. BISNIS has 20
    representatives posted throughout Eurasia, including 11 in Russia. In
    addition, BISNIS has 10 trade specialists in Washington, DC. BISNIS
    mainly assists U.S. and Eurasia companies by identifying and
    disseminating trade and partner leads, preparation of regional
    overviews, commercial news updates, and industry reports, counseling
    U.S. companies interested in entering Eurasian markets, and referrals
    to U.S. government programs as well as sources of financing and other
    resources. Since 1992, BISNIS has helped U.S. companies generate over
    $3.5 billion of export and investment transactions. In FY03 alone,
    BISNIS facilitated transactions exceeding $204 million. In 2002,
    2003, and 2004, BISNIS was recognized by Forbes Magazine as "One of
    the Best of the Web" for information on Eurasia. The BISNIS website
    gets over 1 million hits per month.

    PROGRAM SPEAKER PROFILES

    · Irina Mitchell is an International Trade Specialist at BISNIS
    Headquarters in Washington, D.C. She is covering Construction/Real
    Estate, Transportation, Customs and Certification portfolios for all
    Eurasian (a.k.a. NIS) markets. She also manages one of BISNIS core
    trade facilitation programs - Trades and Tenders and the newest BISNIS
    PartnerLink Eurasia initiative. Irina also covers Northwest Russia
    region working closely with BISNIS representative located in
    St. Petersburg, Russia as well as the country of Moldova. Irina's
    current responsibilities are a continuation of her educational
    background in Civil Engineering and previous private-sector experience
    in the realm of contract procurement, logistics and operations
    management. She has extensive hands-on experience in importing goods
    into Russia and exports to Middle East and Japan.

    · Asel Sulaimanova - BISNIS Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic
    Ms. Sulaimanova has worked for BISNIS in the Kyrgyz Republic since
    late 2002. Before joining BISNIS, she worked both in the private
    sector and for international donor institutions. Specifically, she was
    Project Manager for the European Union Program "Small and Medium
    Business Development" and an international consultant for several
    Asian Development Bank projects in the Kyrgyz Republic. Her commercial
    experience has been gained through working for several foreign
    companies doing different businesses in the Kyrgyz Republic. She
    graduated from Kazakh State Economic University in Economics and later
    received an MBA from the Bishkek International School of Management
    and Business in 1995.

    · Andriy Vorobyov - BISNIS Representative in Ukraine
    Andriy Vorobyov has worked for BISNIS in Kiev since October 2000. He
    has a background in agriculture, having graduated from the National
    Agricultural University of Ukraine. His previous work experience
    includes agribusiness and food processing, and work for the Department
    of Foreign Economic Relations at the Ukrainian Ministry of
    Agriculture. His recent reports for BISNIS have covered the Ukrainian
    Construction Sector, Trade and Project Financing in Ukraine, Customs
    Procedures in Ukraine, and overviews of several Ukrainian
    regions. Last year, Mr. Vorobyov accompanied a delegation of 25
    Ukrainian companies to the International Builders Show in Las Vegas,
    and he has organized a number of U.S. Product Literature Centers at
    the largest Ukrainian trade events, including construction,
    automotive, food processing, pharmaceuticals shows.

    · Iulian Bogasieru - BISNIS Representative in Moldova
    Iulian Bogasieru joined BISNIS in December 2000. His previous
    experience includes working with the Moldovan Agency of Enterprise
    Restructuring ARIA as a consultant for three years on World Bank and
    European Union projects. His responsibilities were analyzing markets
    and providing turnaround management consulting for Moldovan
    businesses. Mr. Bogasieru graduated from the Academy of Economic
    Studies, Chisinau, Moldova, with bachelor degree in foreign economic
    relations. He speaks English, Russian, Romanian and Italian. Among his
    achievements as BISNIS representative, he organized three catalog
    shows of U.S. products in Moldova, which resulted in U.S. export
    contracts.

    · George Isayan - BISNIS Representative in Armenia
    George Isayan has represented BISNIS in Yerevan, Armenia, since
    January 1998. During 1989-1992, he worked in Armenia's Chamber of
    Commerce as the head of business information department. In 1992-1997,
    Mr. Isayan worked at a private export-import company in Prague, Czech
    Republic, covering the company's financial issues. As BISNIS
    representative, Mr. Isayan accompanied delegations of Armenian
    companies at Comdex IT show in Las Vegas (2000), BILISIM IT show in
    Istanbul (Turkey) in 2001, International Builders' Show in Dallas,
    Texas, in 1999 and 2000, and SviazExpoComm ICT show in Moscow, Russia,
    in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Mr. Isayan speaks Russian, Armenian, English,
    Czech, and Arabic fluently.

    · Michele Smith, OPIC Investment Services Manager for Russia and the CIS
    Michele R. Smith is the Investment Services Manager for Russia and the
    CIS at the Overseas Private Investment corporation (OPIC) in
    Washington, D.C. In this capacity Ms. Smith develops and reviews
    investment opportunities across all sectors in project finance and
    political risk insurance with U.S. and international businesses.
    Ms. Smith is scheduled to manage OPIC's new investment development
    office in Moscow, Russia later this year.

    Ms. Smith holds an MBA from Thunderbird, The Garvin School of
    International Management, in Glendale, Arizona where she specialized
    in international finance. Prior to this she managed business outreach
    for the Port of Portland in Oregon; served as the co-director of an
    international development organization in Vladivostok, Russia; and
    managed housing and real estate reform projects in the Kazakhstan,
    Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. She received her BA from the College of
    William and Mary, Virginia, where she majored in Economics and
    International Relations.


    COUNTRY OVERVIEWS

    Armenia

    Area: 29,800 sq. km. (11,500 sq. mi.); Population (est.): 3 million;
    GDP growth rate: 13.9% (2003)
    Natural resources: Copper, zinc, gold, and lead; hydroelectric power;
    small amounts of gas and petroleum.
    Agriculture: fruits and vegetables, wines, dairy, some livestock.
    Industry: chemicals, electronic products, machinery, processed food,
    synthetic rubber, and textiles.
    2003 Trade: Exports-$678.1 million (81.3% to countries outside CIS):
    diamonds, scrap metal, machinery and equipment, brandy, copper
    ore. Export partners-Belgium 18.3%, Israel 21%, Russia 13.9%,
    U.S. 8.3%, Iran 3.3%. Imports-$1.269 billion (73.6% from countries
    outside the CIS): natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products,
    foodstuffs, diamonds. Import partners-Russia 16.4%, Belgium 10.2%,
    Israel 9.7%, Iran 5.3%, U.S. 8%.

    Approximately 70 U.S.-owned firms currently do business in Armenia,
    including such multinationals as Procter & Gamble, M&M-Mars, Xerox,
    Dell, and IBM. Recent major U.S. investment projects include the Hotel
    Armenia; the Hotel Ani; Tufenkian Holdings (carpet and furnishing
    production, hotels, and construction); several subsidiaries of
    U.S.-based information technology firms, including Viasphere
    Technopark, an IT incubator; a Greek-owned Coca-Cola bottling plant;
    petroleum exploration by the American-Armenian Exploration Company;
    jewelry and textile production facilities; a large perlite mining and
    processing plant; and the joint venture Jermuk, which produces one of
    the more popular brands of mineral water in Armenia.

    Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated U.S. sales to Armenian private
    firms of medical diagnostic equipment and construction materials
    equipment, as well as the signing of an exclusive dealer contract
    between Ford and an Armenia company.

    ***************

    Kyrgyz Republic

    Area: 77,181 sq. mi; Population: 5.03 million: GDP Growth Rate: 6.7% (2003)
    Natural Resources: coal, oil, natural gas, antimony, gold, tungsten,
    tin, mercury, uranium, zinc, lead, rare earth metals, copper, iron,
    bauxite, hydropower, water resources.
    Agriculture: Tobacco, cotton, wheat, vegetables and fruits, berries;
    sheep, goats, cattle, wool.
    Industry: small machinery (electric motors, transformers); light
    industry (cotton and wool processing, textiles, food processing),
    construction materials (cement, glass, slate), shoes, furniture,
    mining, energy.
    Trade (2002): Exports-$4485.5 million: Precious metals, minerals,
    textiles, tobacco, hydropower. Partners: Switzerland 19.4%, Russia
    16.2 %, United Arab Emirates 13.5 %, China 8.8%, U.S. 7.9%, Kazakhstan
    7.8%. Imports: $586.7 million: oil and gas, machinery and equipment,
    foodstuffs. Partners: Kazakhstan 21.5%, Russia 19.5%, Uzbekistan
    10.2%, China 10%, US 8.2%, Germany 5%, Netherlands 2.8%.

    Major foreign investments: Hyatt Regency Bishkek Hotel (renovation),
    Metromedia International (cable TV venture), Marvel worldwide Ltd. (80
    % of VLKSM Garment Factory), WimmBillDann (dairy, juices), Kumtor
    (gold mining), Coca-Cola (bottling), Philips (light bulb manufacture &
    equipment), Malaysian Company (semiconductor production plant)

    Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated establishment of an office in
    Bishkek for a small U.S. firm seeking contracts with the U.S. airbase
    in the Kyrgyz republic - the company has already won one tender and
    has additional projects in the pipeline for FY04, sales of restaurant
    equipment to Kyrgyzstan, assistance to a U.S. company to set up
    production in the Bishkek free economic zone.

    ***************


    Moldova

    Area: 33,843 sq. km. (13,000 sq. mi.); Population: 4.4 million: GDP
    real growth (Jan.-Sept. 2003): 7.0%
    Natural Resources: Lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone.
    Agriculture: vegetables, fruits, wine and spirits, grain, sugarbeet,
    sunflower seeds, meat, milk, tobacco.
    Industry: Processed foods and beverages, including wine and refined
    sugar; processed fruit and vegetable products, including vegetable
    oil; dairy and meat products; tobacco items; metal processing and
    production of machinery; textiles and clothing, shoes; furniture.
    Trade (2002): Exports $644 million (of which 46% go to countries
    outside the former Soviet Union): foodstuffs, wine, tobacco, textiles
    and footwear, machinery, chemicals. Major export markets: Russia,
    Ukraine, Italy, Romania, Germany. Import: $1,039 million (of which 61%
    come from countries outside the former Soviet Union): gas, oil, coal,
    steel, machinery and equipment, chemical products, textiles,
    foodstuffs, automobiles, and other consumer durables. Major suppliers:
    Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Germany, Italy.
    U.S. companies active in Moldova include McDonalds, FoodPro
    International, Food Master International, Coca-Cola, Trans Oil Invest,
    Europharm, MetroMedia International, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, KPMG,
    Caterpillar, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Proctor & Gamble, John Deere,
    General Electric, and Apple Computer.
    Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated sales of
    U.S. telecommunications equipment and medical diagnostic equipment to
    Moldova, as well as assisted in the development of ties between North
    Carolina and Moldova and supported efforts of OPIC and TDA to find
    projects for possible financing.

    ***************

    RUSSIA
    Area: 17 million sq. km. (6.5 million sq. mi.); about 1.8 times the
    size of the United States. Broad plain with low hills west of Urals;
    vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains
    (Caucasus range) along southern borders.
    Cities: Capital--Moscow (pop. 8.3 million). Other cities--St. Petersburg
    (4.6 million), Novosibirsk (1.4 million), Nizhniy Novgorod (1.3 million).
    GDP: 7.3% during 2003 to 13.255 trillion rubles or U.S. $460
    billion. (Purchasing power parity estimated at $1.27 trillion in 2002)
    Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, timber, furs, precious and
    nonferrous metals.
    Agriculture: Products-- Grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, meat,
    dairy products.
    Industry: complete range of mining and extractive industries producing
    coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building
    from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
    shipbuilding; road and rail transportation equipment; communications
    equipment; agricultural machinery, tractors, and construction
    equipment; electric power generating and transmitting equipment;
    medical and scientific instruments; consumer durables, textiles,
    foodstuffs, handicrafts
    Exports (F.O.B.): $$134.4 billion (2003 est.)
    Export commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas,
    wood and wood products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of
    civilian and military manufactures
    Export partners: Germany 7.5%, Italy 6.9%, Netherlands 6.7%, China
    6.3%, US 6.1%, Ukraine 5.5%, Belarus 5.4%, Switzerland 5% (2002)
    Import (C.I.F) $74.8 billion (2003 est.)
    Import commodities: machinery and equipment, consumer goods,
    medicines, meat, sugar, semifinished metal products
    Import Partners: Germany 14.3%, Belarus 8.9%, Ukraine 7.1%, US 6.4%,
    China 5.2%, Italy 4.8%, Kazakhstan 4.3%, France 4.1% (2002)

    ***************

    Ukraine

    Area: 603,700 square miles; Population: 48 million: GDP real growth
    (2003 est.): 5.5-6.0%
    Natural resources: Vast fertile lands, coal, ironstone, complex ore,
    various large mineral deposits, timber
    Agriculture: Products-Grain, sugar, sunflower seeds.
    Industry: Types-Ferrous metals and products, coke, fertilizer,
    airplanes, turbines, metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives,
    tractors.
    Trade (2002): Exports-$17.95 billion: Ferrous and nonferrous metals,
    mineral products, chemicals, machinery, transport equipment, grain,
    and textiles. Imports-$16,97 billion: Energy, mineral fuel and oil,
    machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles,
    and paper.

    More than 300 U.S. companies are represented in Ukraine. Among the
    major U.S. companies are: Apple Computer, Avon Cosmetics, Automobile
    Group (Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hummer), Bechtel National, Inc., Citibank,
    Colgate-Palmolive, General Electric, Kraft foods Motorola, Monsanto,
    Mary Kay Ltd.

    Recent BISNIS efforts have facilitated sales of U.S. machinery and
    machine tools, as well as medical, printing, and telecommunications
    equipment to Ukraine, as well as creation of joint projects in the
    financial services sector. telecommunications equipment to Ukraine,
    as well as creation of joint projects in the financial services
    sector.

    **************************************************
    You are receiving this broadcast because you have elected to receive
    updates from BISNIS. To modify your personal selections or to
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    ********** Provided by: **************************
    Irina C. Mitchell, International Trade Specialist
    BISNIS, U.S. Department of Commerce
    Tel: 202/482-3729, Fax: 202/482-2293
    e-mail: [email protected]
    www.bisnis.doc.gov

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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