ARMENIAN AND SLOVAK FMS OPEN ARMENIAN-SLOVAK BUSINESS-FORUM IN YEREVAN

ArmInfo
2010-03-18 18:28:00

ArmInfo. Today Armenian and Slovak FMs Edward Nalbandyan and Miroslav
Lajcak opened an Armenian-Slovak business-forum at Armenian Development
Agency in Yerevan.

Nalbandyan said that it was the first Armenian-Slovak business forum
and it would be a good basis for further cooperation. "I hope that
this forum will give an additional impulse to our trade-economic ties
and will be a good basis for joint business projects."

"Our countries have no problems and are successfully cooperating
at bilateral, regional and international levels. Unfortunately,
the current level of economic relations does not correspond to the
capacities our countries have in this field. However, if provided
with necessary conditions, these relations have quite good prospects,"
Nalbandyan said.

He pointed out that Armenia is interested in further developing its
economic cooperation with Slovakia with priority to be given to SME,
industry, tourism. The study of Slovakia’s experience, the use of
the country’s capacities, the training of specialists in the fields
of construction, wood-working, hydro-technologies, telecoms may
open up new wider prospects for Armenian businessmen. "In order to
deepen our economic cooperation, today, we have signed an agreement
on air communication and a memorandum for cooperation in the field
of European integration," Nalbandyan said.

He said that the ancient Slovak city of Bardejov was frequented by
Armenian merchants in the Middle Ages. There is a legend saying that
the tradition of hydrotherapy was brought in that city by Armenians.

Armenia closely cooperated with Slovakia when it was part of
Czechoslovakia. "We want do develop all of these traditions on the
basis of our present-day capacities," Nalbandyan said.

Lajcak said that Slovakia and Armenia have enjoyed stable political
dialogue in the last years. He is sure that this dynamics will
have a positive influence on bilateral trade-economic contacts and
will result in the conclusion of mutually beneficial contracts. The
Slovak businessmen who are accompanying Lajcak have come to study
the tare and market capacities of Armenia and to find partners for
joint projects. "In the politics, just like in the economy, we prefer
mutual respect, openness and pragmatism," Lajcak said.

In 2009 the Armenian-Slovak trade turnover dropped by 49.7% to
$10.4mln: Armenian export to Slovakia was $124,000, Slovak import into
Armenia – $10.2mln. In 2005-2009 the trade turnover totalled $49.6mln.

Armenia exports tobacco, iron, steel and imports electrical equipment,
tools and vehicles.