APA, Azerbaijan
Dec 30 2009

Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia create joint wine brand

[ 30 Dec 2009 15:02 ]

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov ` APA. Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia will
create joint wine brand `Caucasian bouquet’, executive director of
Gyumri Development Foundation, head of the Armenian office of the
Caucasus Business Development Network Artush Lazarian said in his
interview to the Delovoy Ekspress newspaper.

Artush Lazarian said the `Caucasian bouquet’ project was implemented
with financial support of the International Alert of the UK and U.S.
embassy in Armenia within the framework of the program `Business and
conflict’. The direct implementing agency of the project in Armenia is
Gyumri Development Foundation and Armenian office of the Caucasus
Business Development Network.

Lazarian noted that 17 sorts of white and red wine presented by
Armenia, 13 sorts presented by Georgian winemakers and 9 by
Azerbaijani winemakers had been chosen in the end. He said without the
participation of the one of the involved countries the idea of
`Caucasian bouquet’ would lose its importance. Therefore, we are
preparing a letter to Azerbaijani Prime Minister to get permission for
participation of Armenian wines and winemakers in the presentation
ceremonies in Baku.

Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers told APA that the Azerbaijani
government had not received an appeal concerning the presentation of
the `Caucasian bouquet’ brand.

Director of Azerbaijan Scientific-Research of Wine Trade Tariyel
Panahov told APA that the issue on creating wine brand `Caucasian
bouquet’ appeared some years ago. Meeting took place in Georgia,
discussions were held in connection with it. According to Panahov, in
general t is possible to implement such joint projects, there are
reports that talks are being held about it.
`The issue on creating a joint brand should be studied thoroughly and
justified from scientific point of view. The second issue is connected
with the number of the chosen brands. It is impossible to understand
why 9 brands have been chosen from Azerbaijan, 13 from Georgia and 17
from Armenia. Actually, Azerbaijan’s potential is much bigger than
that of Armenia and Georgia. We have world-famous wine brands,’ he
said.

Panahov considers that this proposal should have been made by
Azerbaijan. He says though it seems impossible to create a joint brand
under the present circumstances from political aspect, Azerbaijan
should support such an initiative.
`But there is a problem. There is no guarantee that Armenia will not
counterfeit Azerbaijan’s products. This factor should be taken into
consideration,’ he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress