ARMENIA, BULGARIA LOOK TO BOOST BILATERAL TRADE
By Shakeh Avoyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Nov 13 2007

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev began an official to Yerevan
Tuesday with talks with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian
that focused on ways of boosting the presently modest trade between
their nations.

The talks were followed by the signing of five agreements which
they said will strengthen Armenian-Bulgarian relations. One of
those agreements provides for the creation of an inter-governmental
commission on bilateral economic cooperation.

Stanishev pointed out at an ensuing news conference that
Armenian-Bulgarian trade amounted to only $30 million last year.

"This is not enough," he said.

"The volume of commercial exchange between us is really very small
given our potential," agreed Sarkisian. He lamented the fact that
it is dominated by Armenian imports of petrol and other oil products
from Bulgarian.

"We can import a lot more commodities from Bulgaria," said Sarkisian.

"And there are Armenian products which would sell in the Bulgarian
market."

The Armenian premier added that he accepted Stanishev’s proposal to
hold next year an Armenian-Bulgarian business forum that will explore
possibilities of increasing bilateral commerce and other economic
ties. He said they instructed the newly formed joint commission to
start "serious preparations" for the forum.

The two men also described the existence of an 11,000-strong Armenian
community in Bulgarian as a major factor that can contribute to the
strengthening of relations between the two countries. "There are
all the historical and cultural prerequisites for forging closer and
friendlier links with the two nations," said Stanishev.