SERZH SARGSYAN: "TODAY IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIND ANOTHER COUNTRY HAVING NO ACCESS TO THE SEA AND BEING SUBJECTED TO BLOCKADE BY TWO OF ITS FOUR NEIGHBORS"

Today.Az
/politics/48811.html
Nov 6 2008
Azerbaijan

"Armenia is preparing to tackle financial crisis with new programs",
said Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan during the meeting with
representatives of the Armenian community in Belgium.

"Today we are ready to resist possible influence of the crisis to
the further economic growth rates by active initiatives in different
spheres", said Sargsyan, according to the press service for the
Armenian President.

"As you know, over 70% of Armenia’s commodity turnover passes via
Georgia and blocked roads may cause a great damage to the country’s
economy. We also avoided the first serious and most dangerous wave
of the world economic crisis", said he.

According to the President, today Armenia is a dynamically developing
country, which has a stable financial system and developed economy.

"Within nine months of 2008 in conditions of 4.2% inflation growth
our economic fixed 10.4% rise. We managed to overcome the situation
as painless as possible, when the events in South Ossetia directly
hit Armenia’s economy", said Sargsyan.

He noted that numerous Armenian businessmen in different countries,
who were affected by the crisis, directed their economic interest
towards Armenia, seeing the necessary stability and opportunities
for continuation of business in their native country.

"Today it is difficult to find another country, having no access
to the sea and being subjected to blockade by two of four of its
neighbors. We are used to working in such conditions and ensuring
serious economic development", said the President.

At the same time, he added that it does not mean that these borders
can closed all the time and there is no need for undertaking measures
to open them.