ARMENIAN WINE WILL NOT REPLACE GEORGIAN GOODS, GEORGIAN MP SAYS

Prime News Agency, Georgia
April 13 2006

Tbilisi. April 13 (Prime-News) – Armenian wine will not replace
Georgian wine in Russia, Giorgi Tsagareishvili, member of the Right
Opposition faction of the Parliament of Georgia told Prime-News
on Thursday.

According to him, intention of Avak Arutunian, Chairman of Wine
Producers Association of Armenia to replace Georgian wines with
Armenian production was not affordable, as Armenia has not tradition
of production of semi-sweet wines and it produces only sweet wines.

As for alcoholic drinks, Armenia produces only brandy, but Armenian
wine makers also use several Georgian brands that they have purchased
in the post-soviet period.

According to Avak Arutunian, Chairman of Wine Producers Association
of Armenia, the ban imposed on import of Georgian and Moldovan wines
to Russia is profitable for Armenia, as it will be able to fill the
gap with Armenian alcoholic drinks, Regnum news agency said

“The government of Armenia must start promotion of wine exporters
through long term and preferential credits. That money will be
necessary for promotion campaign in Russia and transportation of
wines. If the government of Armenia hesitates, tomorrow it may be
late”, Avak Arutunian was quoted as saying.

According to him, Georgian wine is the immediate rival for Armenian
one. Armenian wine has never been cheap because of transportation
expenditures, but now Armenian wine may compete with Georgian, he said.

33 wine enterprises operated and produced 2,5 m litres of wine in 2005,
Avak Arutunian said.

The similar statements were made by Pirmakhmad Dostiev, head of Wine
Department of Khurokvor Tajik corporation. But, according to the
Committee of Foreign Affairs of the Parliament of Georgia the Georgian
party was submitted an official letter by Tajikistan providing for
apology for the statement made with regard to replacement of Georgian
wines with Tajik goods.