ARMENIA WEIGHS POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES OF OPENING THE ARMENIA-TURKISH BORDER

The Messenger
Sept 11 2009
Georgia

Armenian Minister of Economy Nerses Eritsian suggests that the opening
of the Turkish-Armenian border will have some negative consequences as
well as significant positive ones. In 2007 the Armenian International
Policy Research Group (AIPRG) held a conference at which it assessed
the pluses and minuses of opening the border. The main threat this
move presents is that Turkish products will flood the Armenian market,
although conversely Armenian products will have the possibility of
entering other countries.

Eritsian thinks that Armenia’s future depends much on encouraging
the development of the country’s export potential and opening the
border will accelerate this process to the extent that exports will
counter the threat of imported Turkish products conquering the Armenian
market. He has also stressed that in Armenia there is an increasing
demand for high quality products, so Turkish goods will have to
compete with high quality European, North American or Asian ones.

Eritsian says that opening the border will bring mostly positive
results. Good cooperation can be established between Armenian and
Turkish industrialists, and through Turkey Armenia could reach EU
markets by achieving a free trade agreement with the EU, Turkey being
a member of the EU customs union.