Annual Trade Turnover Between Moscow And Armenia Considerably Grown

ANNUAL TRADE TURNOVER BETWEEN MOSCOW AND ARMENIA CONSIDERABLY GROWN FOR LAST TWO YEARS TO $100MLN

Arka News Agency, Armenia
May 2 2007

YEREVAN, May 2. /ARKA/. Annual trade turnover between Moscow and
Armenia has considerably grown for last two years to $100mln, Georgi
Muradov, the head of Moscow government’s international relationship
department, said Monday at Moscow House Culture Center presentation
in Yerevan.

He finds this result very remarkable, especially taking into account
the fact that Moscow has no natural resources such oil and gas.

In his words, Russia has the greater number of investments projects
with Yerevan than with other cities all over the world.

Muradov said trade turnover with Moscow totaling $300mln makes
one-third of trade turnover between Russia and Armenia.

He also pointed out that Russia was the biggest direct investor in
Armenia’s economy in 2006 and put a special emphasis on the fact that
the greatest part of these investments were made by Moscow.

The Muscovite said considerable means were spent for the Moscow House
construction from Moscow’s city budget. Russia has invested $13mln
in the construction.

"Close ties have been established with Yerevan city authorities, and
all the matters connected with space allocation here were settled very
quickly thanks to that", the Moscow official said. National Statistical
Service of Armenia says that Russian investments in Armenian economy
grew 1.3 times in 2006, compared with 2005, and reached $87.5mln. The
ceremony of Moscow House opening was held on March 23, 2007. Moscow
Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and his Yerevan counterpart Yervand Zakharyan were
present at the ceremony.