ARMENIAN AND TURKISH NGOS WORK ON PROPOSALS TO SIMPLIFY TURKISH IMPORTS TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, November 20. / ARKA /. Armenian and Turkish non-governmental
organizations are working on a package of proposals for the government
of Turkey to facilitate imports from Turkey to the Armenian market,
Arsen Ghazaryan, chairman of an Armenian business organization
said today.
Speaking to journalists, Mr. Ghazaryan, the chairman of the Union of
Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia, said some Armenian companies
have trusted partners in Turkey, including what he named as 'semi-
government' organizations.
"Today, we are working with them to develop a set of proposals, hoping
that even with closed borders, the Turkish government will agree to
import its goods to Armenia under Armenia's code which is 77AM.
Ghazaryan said the changes, if enacted into a law, would greatly
simplify the process of imports, as they will allow direct import of
goods from Turkey to the Armenian market without having to go through
neighbouring Georgia.
Currently Turkish goods enter Armenia via third countries, and Armenian
entrepreneurs have to re-register documents for importing them to
Armenia. Armenian imports from Turkey include industrial raw materials,
machinery, building materials and other goods. He said the likelihood
that the Turkish government will adopt the proposals is 50-50.
According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, its trade
turnover with Turkey in January-September 2012 decreased by 15.5%
from the same period 2011 to $142.4 million dollars. Turkey accounted
for 3.5% of Armenia's overall trade in the reporting period of time.
Armenia and Turkey have no diplomatic relations. The border between
the two countries was closed in 1993 at Ankara's initiative. Relations
between Armenia and Turkey remain tense because of Ankara's biased
stance on Karabakh problem and its painful reaction to Armenia's
efforts to obtain worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide. -0-
YEREVAN, November 20. / ARKA /. Armenian and Turkish non-governmental
organizations are working on a package of proposals for the government
of Turkey to facilitate imports from Turkey to the Armenian market,
Arsen Ghazaryan, chairman of an Armenian business organization
said today.
Speaking to journalists, Mr. Ghazaryan, the chairman of the Union of
Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia, said some Armenian companies
have trusted partners in Turkey, including what he named as 'semi-
government' organizations.
"Today, we are working with them to develop a set of proposals, hoping
that even with closed borders, the Turkish government will agree to
import its goods to Armenia under Armenia's code which is 77AM.
Ghazaryan said the changes, if enacted into a law, would greatly
simplify the process of imports, as they will allow direct import of
goods from Turkey to the Armenian market without having to go through
neighbouring Georgia.
Currently Turkish goods enter Armenia via third countries, and Armenian
entrepreneurs have to re-register documents for importing them to
Armenia. Armenian imports from Turkey include industrial raw materials,
machinery, building materials and other goods. He said the likelihood
that the Turkish government will adopt the proposals is 50-50.
According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, its trade
turnover with Turkey in January-September 2012 decreased by 15.5%
from the same period 2011 to $142.4 million dollars. Turkey accounted
for 3.5% of Armenia's overall trade in the reporting period of time.
Armenia and Turkey have no diplomatic relations. The border between
the two countries was closed in 1993 at Ankara's initiative. Relations
between Armenia and Turkey remain tense because of Ankara's biased
stance on Karabakh problem and its painful reaction to Armenia's
efforts to obtain worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide. -0-