COOPERATION HAS MUCH GREATER POTENTIALS
Haroutyun Gevorkyan

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
Nov 14 2007
Armenia

SERGEY STANISHEV, Prime Minster of the Republic of Bulgaria, is in
Armenia on a three-day official visit. The long negotiations between
the Heads of two countries’ Executive Powers were held yesterday.

Right after the end of the negotiations, SERGE SARGSYAN and his
Bulgarian counterpart had a meeting with the journalists.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister attached importance to the fact that his
country has begun the current year as a full member of the European
Union. "This was a goal we had been aspiring to for long years,
and the whole nation has made a lot of efforts unanimously.

The factor of being an EU member allows us to view the
Armenian-Bulgarian relations in a new context.

During the negotiations I assured Serge Sargsyan that Bulgaria is
ready to drastically develop the economic ties with Armenia in all
the spheres and do its best to involve Armenia in all the pan-European
programs and projects."

According to S. Stanishev, Bulgaria will also increase its direct
assistance to Armenia. For planning the specific steps, it will be
required to set up an intergovernmental committee and clarify the
frameworks of the economic and scientific-technical interests. To
this end, a business-forum with the participation of Armenian and
Bulgarian businessmen will be organized in 2008.

"Today, the volume of the good-circulation between the two
countries is 30 million Dollars, and this cannot be estimated as
satisfactory. The Government of Bulgaria has already approved the
economic assistance strategy for the EU non-member states. And this
implies a large-scale funding, in the amount of 0.17 per cent of
the Gross Domestic Income. Within the frameworks of this program,
we have elaborated serious projects which will be implemented in the
near future. The coming year will be a year of cultural cooperation,
as days of Bulgarian culture will be organized in Armenia," the
Bulgarian Prime Minister added.

S. Sargsyan confirmed that the current volumes of the economic
cooperation between Armenia and Bulgaria cannot be satisfactory,
"Currently Armenia imports a larger quantity of oil products from
Bulgaria. However, there are chances to import as well as export
various other products in larger quantities, because Armenia currently
produces a various kinds of products which are in demand on the
Bulgarian market.

We are carrying out large-scale preparatory activities for effective
participation in the business-forum scheduled for the next year. I am
sure we will manage to use the great potential of the two countries’
economic cooperation, including the ports of Bulgaria."