HEAD OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF SLOVAKIA: RESULTS OF ARMENIA – ARTSAKH – SLOVAKIA BUSINESS FORUM ARE SATISAFCTORY BOTH FROM BUSINESS AND POLITICAL POINT OF VIEW

Noyan Tapan
Oct 24, 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The results of th 5th Armenia –
Artsakh – Slovakia business forum held in Yerevan on October 19-20 are
satisfactory both from business and political point of view, Ashot
Grigorian, businessman, head of the Armenian community of Slovakia,
advisor to the Armenian foreign minister on affairs in the Slovak
Republic, said at the October 24 press conference. He underlined that
Artsakh participated for the first time in an Armenia-Slovakia business
forum, by which Artsakh started its direct relations with the Slovak
Republic – a European Union member. A. Grigorian expressed confidence
that the forum will contribute to an investment flow into the NKR.

He added that he will take steps in order to organize a visit of the
NKR prime minister Arayik Harutyunian to Bratislava this year and a
visit of Slovakia’s official delegation to Stepanakert in 2008.

A. Grigorian said that during the business forum, a number of Armenian
banks expressed a willingness to give financial guarantees of up to 3%
of the cost for deals to be concluded between Armenian and Slovakian
companies, as well as Artsakh and Slovakian companies, while Slovakian
state export-import bank – Eximbank expressed its readiness to insure
these deals’ crediting of a total of over 50 million dollars for 15
years by Slovakian banks VUB and CSOB. In particular, an agreement
is being prepared on providing a 5-year credit at 6.5% interest
rate for continuing the construction of the Ara Center in downtown
Yerevan. It is envisaged that Slovakian companies will also cooperate
with ArmRusgazprom, as well as in construction of small hydropower
plants in Armenia and Artskah, export and import of foodstuffs,
and the high-tech sector.

The 5th Armenia – Artsakh – Slovakia business forum was organized
by the Armenian Development Agency, the Development and Investment
Agency of Slovakia, and the Armenian community of this country.