ARMENIA, TURKEY MAY RESUME DIRECT TRADE

news.am
Feb 8 2010
Armenia

Ankara and Yerevan and negotiating over resuming the export of cement
and flour from Armenia and Turkey, Alin Ozinyan, press and Public
Relations Coordinator, Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council
(TABDC), told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Despite some progress in the Armenia-Turkey reconciliation process,
no steps have been made at the state level.

She also said that Armenian-Turkish trade is mainly unilateral now,
as imports of Armenian products in banned in Turkey.

"Armenian products are imported to Turkey only when the Armenian women
working there take some bottles of brandy or pairs of shoes with them,"
Ozinyan said.

TABDC Co-Chairman Kaan Soyak stated recently that, with the border
closed, the Armenian-Turkish trade turnover totaled U.S. $300m last
year. He pointed out that the real trade turnover is difficult to
calculate, as Armenia and Turkey do not carry out direct trade,
Georgia and Iran serving as transit states.