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FETHIYE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD PRESIDENT. "WE NOW HAVE TO DEVELOP OUR RELATIONSHIPS."
October 20 2014
"We now have to develop our relationships to establish more developed
and more regulated relations for our children," announced Akif
Arıcan, President of Fethiye Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
also Board President of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey,
at the meeting with the Armenian and Turkish journalists. The meeting
was organized by support of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation and
financial support of the European Union, in the framework of the
program "Support to Armenia-Turkey normalization process". Mr. Arıcan
noticed that there is tension in Armenia-Turkish relationship, given
the historical past, he considered the establishment of trade relations
an important condition for normalization of relations. "Of course,
we also face problems when sending products to Armenia through any
third country. It is preferable that it is sent by Armenia - Turkey
direct way. Mainly, we have to sit face to face and solve many issues
through discussions. The interested should not be one-sided, but it
is necessary to compare the bilateral interests, and as a result to
sit down to discuss and develop the economic relations," he said. He
presented his vision of cooperation between the two countries. "We,
as an NGO, can cooperate with equivalent NHOs operating in Armenia,
to organize what kinds of mutual products we have: they will present
their kinds of products, we - ours, the directions and we'd start
cooperating." Aravot.am asked Mr. Arıcan whether the Fethiye Chamber
of Commerce and Industry is trying to influence on the policy towards
the normalization of Armenian- Turkish relations conducted by the
government, if he so much signifies the establishment of commercial
relations. He replied that all Chambers of Commerce and Industry
operating in Turkey are united around one structure, and any program
suggested by the Chambers are discussed with the head of the unified
Chambers, and then presented also to the government. He considered
the organization of the meeting with the journalists a first step
as such. In the separate interview with Aravot.am, the President of
the Fethiye Chamber of Commerce and Industry also spoke about the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He said what we hear almost from
all Turks. "This issue is constantly under discussion between Armenia
and Turkey, and I think that I should leave this issue for those who
are more specialized in this, the historians. As for us, it is clear
that we need to know our past better. But we also need to leave so that
the matter is solved. We cannot have our intervention in the political
matter, but we have a president of the Union, and I know that he is
raising this issue before the politicians." Note that in the framework
of the program "Support to Armenia-Turkey normalization process,"
the Armenian and Turkish journalists are participating in the two-week
bus trip around Turkey and Armenia, discovering mutual traditions and
discussing the policy conducted between the two countries. Aravot.am
is a part of this tour, and will keep introducing the future meetings
and discussed topics during the tour.
Hripsime HOVHANNISYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/10/20/167394/
October 20 2014
"We now have to develop our relationships to establish more developed
and more regulated relations for our children," announced Akif
Arıcan, President of Fethiye Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
also Board President of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey,
at the meeting with the Armenian and Turkish journalists. The meeting
was organized by support of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation and
financial support of the European Union, in the framework of the
program "Support to Armenia-Turkey normalization process". Mr. Arıcan
noticed that there is tension in Armenia-Turkish relationship, given
the historical past, he considered the establishment of trade relations
an important condition for normalization of relations. "Of course,
we also face problems when sending products to Armenia through any
third country. It is preferable that it is sent by Armenia - Turkey
direct way. Mainly, we have to sit face to face and solve many issues
through discussions. The interested should not be one-sided, but it
is necessary to compare the bilateral interests, and as a result to
sit down to discuss and develop the economic relations," he said. He
presented his vision of cooperation between the two countries. "We,
as an NGO, can cooperate with equivalent NHOs operating in Armenia,
to organize what kinds of mutual products we have: they will present
their kinds of products, we - ours, the directions and we'd start
cooperating." Aravot.am asked Mr. Arıcan whether the Fethiye Chamber
of Commerce and Industry is trying to influence on the policy towards
the normalization of Armenian- Turkish relations conducted by the
government, if he so much signifies the establishment of commercial
relations. He replied that all Chambers of Commerce and Industry
operating in Turkey are united around one structure, and any program
suggested by the Chambers are discussed with the head of the unified
Chambers, and then presented also to the government. He considered
the organization of the meeting with the journalists a first step
as such. In the separate interview with Aravot.am, the President of
the Fethiye Chamber of Commerce and Industry also spoke about the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He said what we hear almost from
all Turks. "This issue is constantly under discussion between Armenia
and Turkey, and I think that I should leave this issue for those who
are more specialized in this, the historians. As for us, it is clear
that we need to know our past better. But we also need to leave so that
the matter is solved. We cannot have our intervention in the political
matter, but we have a president of the Union, and I know that he is
raising this issue before the politicians." Note that in the framework
of the program "Support to Armenia-Turkey normalization process,"
the Armenian and Turkish journalists are participating in the two-week
bus trip around Turkey and Armenia, discovering mutual traditions and
discussing the policy conducted between the two countries. Aravot.am
is a part of this tour, and will keep introducing the future meetings
and discussed topics during the tour.
Hripsime HOVHANNISYAN
Read more at: http://en.aravot.am/2014/10/20/167394/