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Shmuel Meirom: Israel is willing to contribute of its experience in
the field of economy, but it cannot force Israeli business to invest
in Armenia
ArmInfo's interview of Ambassador of the State Israel to the Republic
of Armenia, H.E. Mr. Shmuel Meirom
by Emmanuil Lazarian
Thursday, July 24, 14:29
Israel and Armenia plan to sign an agreement of visa-free regime. At
what stage are the negotiations now? What is the goal of the
agreement?
Agreements for exemption of visas are meant primarily to encourage
mutual tourism and business in the sense that they enable the citizens
of the two countries to enjoy an exemption on the visa fee and
facilitate the entry to the country which is a signatory of the
agreement. This is also a kind of an expression of friendship between
the countries.
Israel and Armenia are about to sign an agreement for exemption of
official visas for bearers of diplomatic passports only .The next
stage, so we hope, will be an agreement for exemption of visas for
bearers of national passports as well, the kind of agreement that
Israel has with most of the CIS countries.
You have recently mentioned that the people of Israel are very
sensitive to the issue of the Armenian Genocide. Will the Israelis,
the people that survived Holocaust, help bringing the Armenian-Turkish
relations out of the current stalemate, if an appropriate discussion
is launched?
Indeed, as you mentioned, Israelis and Jews in general have a special
sensitivity to the tragedy that struck the Armenian People. Israel and
Turkey had in the past a friendly and warm relationship compatible
with the interests of both sides. In present days these relations are
colder and both states are represented in each other by diplomats who
are not ambassadors. So that it is doubtful that Israel can influence
Turkey's policy. We hope that these relations will improve in the near
future and then Israel will undoubtedly be in a better position to
contribute to the betterment of the relations between Turkey and
Armenia if it is asked to do so.
Given Armenia's high-level relations with its partner Iran, in Israel
they are rather cautious about the idea of the North-South
communications. Will that attitude change with the positive shifts
that are currently observed in the relations of Iran and the U.S.?
As long as Iran does not change its policy, and stops supporting
international terror (such as Hezbollah, Hamas and other terrorist
movements) through armaments and money, stops incitement against
Israel and threatening to destroy it and try to attack its citizens
over the world and as long as it continues its nuclear program, then
Israel cannot change its policy. The smiling campaign of President
Rouhani is not enough. As long as we don't have a qualitative change
of its policy, we ought to keep the sanctions against Iran and even
tighten them significantly.
Israel supports the idea of independent Iraqi Kurdistan. At first
sight, it is rather a contradictory stand, given the continuous
Arab-Israeli conflict and Palestine's aspiration for independence.
Would you explain such stand of Israel?
I wouldn't draw a parallel between the two things. The Independence of
Kurdistan is not on the table. But as far as the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict is concerned, you ought to know that Israel supports the
creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State, but the
conditions that the Palestinians put before Israel are not acceptable
and even more so after the Palestinian Authority signed a pact of
reconciliation with the Hamas terror movement which openly declares
its aim of annihilating Israel and launches missiles almost on a daily
basis on Israeli villages and towns.
What is the reason of such low level of the Armenian-Israeli economic
and trade relations? Some experts say Israel's economic model can be
applied also in Armenia. However, there is no information on any
serious consultations between the two countries in the field. Neither
there is exchange of experience, specialists, technologies or others.
Are there any plans to foster the economic cooperation?
Israel is willing to contribute of its experience in the field of
economy and finances but it cannot force Israeli business people to
invest in Armenia in the same way that Armenia cannot oblige Armenian
business people to make business with Israel. To make business there
has to be a mutual interest which can be promoted by signing economic
agreements (such as, customs agreements, prevention of double taxation
etc...) Negotiations are going on between the two countries to sign an
agreement on the prevention of double taxation and we already have a
civil aviation agreement. Soon we will have in Armenia a special day
on innovation aimed at exposing the Israeli experience in the matter.
All of this supposed to increase the motivation of business people on
both sides.
By the way, in the last two years, there was a sizable increase in the
number of Israeli tourists visiting Armenia and this is in large part
due to the invitation of Israeli journalists (initiated by Israel) to
visit the wonderful tourism sites of Armenia. When back to Israel,
they wrote several articles on the beauty of the country and this had
a big in fluence on Israelis to come and visit Armenia. The direct air
route between the two countries has also contributed to that.
We hope to see a similar increase in the number of Armenian tourists in Israel.
Thank you!
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=709093A0-131D-11E4-BB4C0EB7C0D2166
the field of economy, but it cannot force Israeli business to invest
in Armenia
ArmInfo's interview of Ambassador of the State Israel to the Republic
of Armenia, H.E. Mr. Shmuel Meirom
by Emmanuil Lazarian
Thursday, July 24, 14:29
Israel and Armenia plan to sign an agreement of visa-free regime. At
what stage are the negotiations now? What is the goal of the
agreement?
Agreements for exemption of visas are meant primarily to encourage
mutual tourism and business in the sense that they enable the citizens
of the two countries to enjoy an exemption on the visa fee and
facilitate the entry to the country which is a signatory of the
agreement. This is also a kind of an expression of friendship between
the countries.
Israel and Armenia are about to sign an agreement for exemption of
official visas for bearers of diplomatic passports only .The next
stage, so we hope, will be an agreement for exemption of visas for
bearers of national passports as well, the kind of agreement that
Israel has with most of the CIS countries.
You have recently mentioned that the people of Israel are very
sensitive to the issue of the Armenian Genocide. Will the Israelis,
the people that survived Holocaust, help bringing the Armenian-Turkish
relations out of the current stalemate, if an appropriate discussion
is launched?
Indeed, as you mentioned, Israelis and Jews in general have a special
sensitivity to the tragedy that struck the Armenian People. Israel and
Turkey had in the past a friendly and warm relationship compatible
with the interests of both sides. In present days these relations are
colder and both states are represented in each other by diplomats who
are not ambassadors. So that it is doubtful that Israel can influence
Turkey's policy. We hope that these relations will improve in the near
future and then Israel will undoubtedly be in a better position to
contribute to the betterment of the relations between Turkey and
Armenia if it is asked to do so.
Given Armenia's high-level relations with its partner Iran, in Israel
they are rather cautious about the idea of the North-South
communications. Will that attitude change with the positive shifts
that are currently observed in the relations of Iran and the U.S.?
As long as Iran does not change its policy, and stops supporting
international terror (such as Hezbollah, Hamas and other terrorist
movements) through armaments and money, stops incitement against
Israel and threatening to destroy it and try to attack its citizens
over the world and as long as it continues its nuclear program, then
Israel cannot change its policy. The smiling campaign of President
Rouhani is not enough. As long as we don't have a qualitative change
of its policy, we ought to keep the sanctions against Iran and even
tighten them significantly.
Israel supports the idea of independent Iraqi Kurdistan. At first
sight, it is rather a contradictory stand, given the continuous
Arab-Israeli conflict and Palestine's aspiration for independence.
Would you explain such stand of Israel?
I wouldn't draw a parallel between the two things. The Independence of
Kurdistan is not on the table. But as far as the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict is concerned, you ought to know that Israel supports the
creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State, but the
conditions that the Palestinians put before Israel are not acceptable
and even more so after the Palestinian Authority signed a pact of
reconciliation with the Hamas terror movement which openly declares
its aim of annihilating Israel and launches missiles almost on a daily
basis on Israeli villages and towns.
What is the reason of such low level of the Armenian-Israeli economic
and trade relations? Some experts say Israel's economic model can be
applied also in Armenia. However, there is no information on any
serious consultations between the two countries in the field. Neither
there is exchange of experience, specialists, technologies or others.
Are there any plans to foster the economic cooperation?
Israel is willing to contribute of its experience in the field of
economy and finances but it cannot force Israeli business people to
invest in Armenia in the same way that Armenia cannot oblige Armenian
business people to make business with Israel. To make business there
has to be a mutual interest which can be promoted by signing economic
agreements (such as, customs agreements, prevention of double taxation
etc...) Negotiations are going on between the two countries to sign an
agreement on the prevention of double taxation and we already have a
civil aviation agreement. Soon we will have in Armenia a special day
on innovation aimed at exposing the Israeli experience in the matter.
All of this supposed to increase the motivation of business people on
both sides.
By the way, in the last two years, there was a sizable increase in the
number of Israeli tourists visiting Armenia and this is in large part
due to the invitation of Israeli journalists (initiated by Israel) to
visit the wonderful tourism sites of Armenia. When back to Israel,
they wrote several articles on the beauty of the country and this had
a big in fluence on Israelis to come and visit Armenia. The direct air
route between the two countries has also contributed to that.
We hope to see a similar increase in the number of Armenian tourists in Israel.
Thank you!
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=709093A0-131D-11E4-BB4C0EB7C0D2166