ARMENIA WILL BE STRATEGICAL PARTNER OF GREECE IN THE REGION, DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF GREECE STATES
Noyan Tapan
Mar 30 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. A sitting of the Armenian-Greek
intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation took place in
Yerevan on March 29, during which the Greek side offered Armenia
assistance with development programs in the spheres of agriculture,
trade, small and medium business. The commission’s co-chairman,
RA Minister of Agriculture Davit Lokian noted prior to the
signing of the sitting’s protocol that the Greek side assessed
positively the Armenian-Greek cooperation and the Armenian side’s
initiatives in the communication and telecommunication sectors. It
was noted at the sitting that the Armenian-Greek company ArmenTel –
a communication operator in Armenia should be able to conduct an
exact economic policy within the Armenian legislation. In the words
of D. Lokian, the Greek side attaches importance to cooperation
in the energy sector, particularly within the framework of the
programs on introduction of new technologies in Armenia with funds
of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). He
also underlined the importance of using the opportunities of both
countries for exporting the Armenian and Greek goods to the markets
of the neighoring countries. The Greek co-chairman of the commission,
Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece Evripidis Stylianidis in his turn
noted that the Greek side will do everything to reduce the risks
of European investors in Armenia. “Armenia will be a strategical
partner of Greece in this region, particularly with respect to
setting up joint ventures, as well as in various sectors of economy,”
he said. According to him, in 2002-2004, Greece allocated 1.5 mln
euros for the implementation of development programs in Armenia. This
assistance will continue, in particular by providing agricultural
and agricultural processing equipment. He noted that steps will be
taken to ensure mutually beneficial relations between ArmenTel and
the RA government. The commission’s co-chairman stated that Greece is
prepared to assist with further programs on Armenia’s involvement in
European structures, particularly in the European Union. Chiarman of
the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA) Arsen
Ghazarian told reporters the Greek side agreed to assist Amenia with
the equipment and procedures to be used at agricultural production
certification laboratories, as well as with business advice provision,
staff training and infrastructure development in tourism and light
industry. In the words of A. Ghazarian, assistance will be given to
those sectors of the Armenian economy, in which there are opportunities
for the implementation of joint Armenian-Greek investment programs
and the export of Armenian goods through Greece to the European
market. Greek investments are envisaged in such spheres as stone
working, pharmaceutics, agricultural processing and agricultural
services infrastructures. According to A. Ghazarian, ArmenTel intends
to make investments of 50 mln dollars in 2006-2007.