QIZ PROPOSAL FOR TURKEY-ARMENIA TRADE
armradio.am
22.09.2008 15:46
As football diplomacy paved the way for a positive dialogue between
Ankara and Yerevan, businessmen from both sides have taken action
to begin parallel works to ease open the channels of trade. The
Turkish Armenian Business Development Council, or TABDC, which
has been operating on a non-official basis since 1997, proposed
the establishment of a Qualified Industrial Zone, or QIZ, between
Turkey and Armenia that would allow co-produced goods to enter the
U.S without custom duties and taxes, the Turkish daily News reported.
"The establishment of a QIZ concept has been our leading assignment
since 2003. A group of textile professionals visited Turkey and
Armenia to promote this concept as the best out of the ordinary model
to bring the two nations together," said the co-chairman of the TABDC,
Krikor Salbashian.
Although the QIZ proposal was not discussed during the first-ever
meeting between President Abdullah Gul and his Armenian counterpart
Serzh Sargsyan, Salbashian said they had used this historic opportunity
to promote their proposals after Sept. 6. Since then, the TABDC has
been receiving encouraging response from Turkey, Armenia and the U.S,
Salbashian said.
In order for a QIZ to be established the U.S Congress would need to
pass a special law. "We believe opening the border between Turkey
and Armenia is the key to further prom ote it with the US Congress,"
Salbashian explained.
Meanwhile, the Turkish co-chairman of the TABDC, Kaan Soyak,
underlined the importance of key players of the Turkish industry
stepping in to undertaking necessary agreements with their Armenian
counterparts. Soyak recalled the TABDC had already established links
between all parties.