ALROSA BRINGS FIRST CONSIGNMENT OF ROUGH DIAMONDS TO ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Dec 21, 2007
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, NOYAN TAPAN. In accordance with the agreement
signed between the RA government and Alrosa company – the world’s
second largest diamond mining company, the first consignment of rough
diamonds of about 1 million USD has been brought to Armenia. In this
connection, the company’s delegation headed by the president of Alrosa
Sergei Vybornov came on a one-day visit to Yerevan.
During a meeting with reporters, it was stated that the first
consignment will be given to 4 Armenian diamond-cutting companies:
Diamotech, Arevak, the Diamond Company of Armenia (DCA) and Ukos,
which have been selected out of 23 companies, previously examined by
Alrosa experts.
According to the company’s vice president Sergei Ulin, Alrosa is
ready to purchase part of cut diamonds if they have a high quality and
reasonable price. He said that in 2008, imports of rough diamonds will
make 28-30 million USD. The company’s management plans to hold another
meeting with the Armenian side in mid 2008 in order to summarize the
results of the first half of 2008 and consider a possible increase
in the amount of rough diamonds.
In the words of the RA minister of trade and economic development
Nerses Yeritsian, the Armenian side also has a great deal to do:
to specify its policy and prospects of development so that greater
opportunities and a large field will be created for extension of
Alrosa’s business in Armenia in various directions.