Armenia and Bulgaria to boost cooperation in transport

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
5 Oct 04

[Presenter] Armenian and Bulgarian businessmen discussed economic
cooperation between the two countries during a business forum held in
Yerevan today. The Armenian and Bulgarian presidents [Robert Kocharyan
and Georgi Purvanov] also took part in the forum. Robert Kocharyan
gave assurances that the Bulgarians would find reliable partners in
the form of Armenian businessmen. The president also stressed that
Armenia has a special attitude to the development of economic
relations with Bulgaria because of Bulgaria’s world position and its
experience along the road to European integration.

[Correspondent over video of forum] Several hundred businessmen
including the Bulgarian delegation today visited various Armenian
enterprises. The agreements signed during these meetings, as President
of the Armenian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Arsen
Kazaryan said, exceeded all expectations. Agreements were signed in
the spheres of machine building, the production of beverages,
cosmetics, pharmacology.

[Kazaryan] We attached great importance to the Bulgarian SOMAT [road
haulage] company’s intention. This company is supplying us with
ferries to transport vehicles between Georgia and Russia.

[Correspondent] The Bulgarian ports of Varna and Burgas are the main
road and window to the European markets for Armenia. Therefore the
Bulgarian company’s assistance is of great importance. They promise to
restore the ferry and to put it into operation from 15 to 25 October.

[Bulgarian Transport and Communications Minister, Nikolay Vasilev,
captioned, in Russian with Armenian voice over] This is also a part of
the TRACECA [Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia] programme which
is of great importance for the European Union, as this road is an
alternative road to Russia. I am sure that as a result the volume of
import and export will be increased.

[Correspondent] The Bulgarian minister said that with his Armenian
counterpart [Armenian Communication and Transport Minister Andranik
Manukyan] they agreed on the main issue, the opening of a direct
airline route between our capitals [Sofia-Yerevan], which will be
implemented next year.

[Passage omitted: Kocharyan and Purvanov interested in further
improving cooperation]]