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TURKISH, ARMENIAN BUSINESSES EXPLORE TIES IN YEREVAN FORUM
Naira Bulghadarian
Armenialiberty.org
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24398964.html
Nov 22 2011
More than 100 entrepreneurs from Armenia and Turkey explored greater
business opportunities in each other's country during a U.S.-sponsored
conference that began in Yerevan on Tuesday.
The two-day forum was organized by Armenia's leading business
association and the Chamber of Commerce of Diarberkir, the largest city
in eastern Turkey, as part of a project to improve Turkish-Armenian
relations financed by the U.S. government's Agency For International
Development (USAID).
Most of its 50 or so Turkish participants represented businesses
operating in Diarbekir and nearby regions located not far from the
Turkish-Armenian border. Many of them called for the quick opening of
the frontier, something which the Turkish government makes conditional
on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"We have long been lobbying for the opening of the Turkish-Armenian
border," said Diadin Gezer, deputy chairman of the Diarbekir Chamber
of Commerce. "Countries around the world do at least 60 percent of
their trade with their neighbors."
Gezer and other entrepreneurs agreed that Turkish-Armenian commercial
ties can grow even in the absence of diplomatic relations and an open
border between the two estranged nations. Firat Aslan, a chocolate
manufacturer from Diarberkir, said this would only facilitate the
eventual normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations.
"If Turkish-Armenian economic relations develop, then pressure on
the two states will grow and they will open the border," Aslan told
RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
A memorandum of understanding signed by Gezer and Arsen Ghazarian,
chairman of the Armenian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs,
envisages that the two business groups will promote direct links
between their members and greater commerce between the two neighboring
states.
Armenia - Turkish and Armenian businesswomen at a conference in
Yerevan, 22Nov2011.â~@~Kâ~@~KWith Ankara keeping the border closed
since 1993, the bulk of Turkish-Armenian trade is carried out via
Georgia.
According to official Armenian statistics, it grew by almost 19
percent to $168.8 million in the first nine months of this year.
Turkish exports to Armenia accounted for over 99 percent of this
figure because of Ankara's unofficial ban on imports of goods from
Armenia. Businesspeople say Armenian products are usually re-exported
to the Turkish market through Georgia and other third countries.
Speaking at the Yerevan conference, Noyan Soyak, an Istanbul-based
businessman affiliated with the Turkish-Armenian Business Council
(TABC), estimated the annual volume of bilateral commerce at around
$300 million. He said this figure can quickly be tripled.
Founded in the early 1990s, the TABC is the only organization uniting
Turkish and Armenian businesspeople. Its Turkish members also favor
an unconditional normalization of Turkish-Armenian ties.
Participants spent the first day of the conference introducing their
firms and promoting their products. "We have come here to invite
Armenian entrepreneurs to Turkey and foster exchange of Armenian and
Turkish goods," said Gafur Turkay, an ethnic Armenian executive of
a Diarbekir-based insurance firm.
Some Armenian manufacturers are already involved in such exchange.
Samvel Gasparian said his Artsocks textile company has imported
Turkish raw materials for the past three years. "Since this sector
is very developed in Turkey ... we should look into their experience
and find partners there," he told RFE/RL's Armenian service.
Another businessman, Gagik Bostanjian, said his Lux shoe company
mainly imports shoe components from Russia and would like to find
cheaper suppliers in Turkey.
As part of the USAID project implemented by several Armenian
non-governmental organizations, the business forum will be followed
by a Turkish-Armenian trade exhibition in Armenia's second largest
city of Gyumri. About 80 Armenian and Turkish firms will display
their products there on Thursday.
Naira Bulghadarian
Armenialiberty.org
http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24398964.html
Nov 22 2011
More than 100 entrepreneurs from Armenia and Turkey explored greater
business opportunities in each other's country during a U.S.-sponsored
conference that began in Yerevan on Tuesday.
The two-day forum was organized by Armenia's leading business
association and the Chamber of Commerce of Diarberkir, the largest city
in eastern Turkey, as part of a project to improve Turkish-Armenian
relations financed by the U.S. government's Agency For International
Development (USAID).
Most of its 50 or so Turkish participants represented businesses
operating in Diarbekir and nearby regions located not far from the
Turkish-Armenian border. Many of them called for the quick opening of
the frontier, something which the Turkish government makes conditional
on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
"We have long been lobbying for the opening of the Turkish-Armenian
border," said Diadin Gezer, deputy chairman of the Diarbekir Chamber
of Commerce. "Countries around the world do at least 60 percent of
their trade with their neighbors."
Gezer and other entrepreneurs agreed that Turkish-Armenian commercial
ties can grow even in the absence of diplomatic relations and an open
border between the two estranged nations. Firat Aslan, a chocolate
manufacturer from Diarberkir, said this would only facilitate the
eventual normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations.
"If Turkish-Armenian economic relations develop, then pressure on
the two states will grow and they will open the border," Aslan told
RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).
A memorandum of understanding signed by Gezer and Arsen Ghazarian,
chairman of the Armenian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs,
envisages that the two business groups will promote direct links
between their members and greater commerce between the two neighboring
states.
Armenia - Turkish and Armenian businesswomen at a conference in
Yerevan, 22Nov2011.â~@~Kâ~@~KWith Ankara keeping the border closed
since 1993, the bulk of Turkish-Armenian trade is carried out via
Georgia.
According to official Armenian statistics, it grew by almost 19
percent to $168.8 million in the first nine months of this year.
Turkish exports to Armenia accounted for over 99 percent of this
figure because of Ankara's unofficial ban on imports of goods from
Armenia. Businesspeople say Armenian products are usually re-exported
to the Turkish market through Georgia and other third countries.
Speaking at the Yerevan conference, Noyan Soyak, an Istanbul-based
businessman affiliated with the Turkish-Armenian Business Council
(TABC), estimated the annual volume of bilateral commerce at around
$300 million. He said this figure can quickly be tripled.
Founded in the early 1990s, the TABC is the only organization uniting
Turkish and Armenian businesspeople. Its Turkish members also favor
an unconditional normalization of Turkish-Armenian ties.
Participants spent the first day of the conference introducing their
firms and promoting their products. "We have come here to invite
Armenian entrepreneurs to Turkey and foster exchange of Armenian and
Turkish goods," said Gafur Turkay, an ethnic Armenian executive of
a Diarbekir-based insurance firm.
Some Armenian manufacturers are already involved in such exchange.
Samvel Gasparian said his Artsocks textile company has imported
Turkish raw materials for the past three years. "Since this sector
is very developed in Turkey ... we should look into their experience
and find partners there," he told RFE/RL's Armenian service.
Another businessman, Gagik Bostanjian, said his Lux shoe company
mainly imports shoe components from Russia and would like to find
cheaper suppliers in Turkey.
As part of the USAID project implemented by several Armenian
non-governmental organizations, the business forum will be followed
by a Turkish-Armenian trade exhibition in Armenia's second largest
city of Gyumri. About 80 Armenian and Turkish firms will display
their products there on Thursday.