ARMENIAN OFFICIAL STRESSES PROMOTION OF TIES WITH IRAN

Fars News Agency
Feb 9 2010
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Senior Advisor to Armenian President Ahram Narsisian
here in Tehran on Tuesday reiterated that Yerevan is seeking to
promote relations with Iran.

Addressing an international conference in Tehran on introducing the
trade and investment opportunities of Armenia, Narsisian stressed
the necessity of a proper understanding of the existing impediments
to expansion of relations between the two countries.

He also underlined that holding such conferences is aimed at the
acquisition of a proper knowledge of existing barriers in the relations
between Iran and Armenia, reminding that settlement of such problems
is not possible through holding just one conference.

"But continuing these policies, we can attain the desired results,"
he Narsisian added.

Elsewhere, he referred to the economic ties between Tehran and Yerevan,
and said the volume of Armenia’s imports from Iran stood at $200mln
in 2008 and the country’s exports to Iran was $25mln.

"And we are striving to further promote the level of the two countries’
ties," he continued.

During the conference, Iranian officials also urged both countries
to use all potentials to enhance trade and economic exchanges.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Amir Mansour Borqe’i called on
Iranian and Armenian officials to use all the existing potentials
and capabilities to increase trade ties and exchanges between the
two countries.

"Iran and Armenia should use all the existing potentials to expand
commercial activities and mutual investment by the (two countries’)
private sector," Borqe’i said.

"We believe that private sector investors can assess investment
opportunities in the two countries better than the state can,"
he added.

Borqe’i said although Iran is Armenia’s seventh economic partner,
the place is not appropriate to the two countries’ relations.

He further urged for the promotion of economic ties between Tehran
and Yerevan.