ISSUES ON THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION DISCUSSED DURING THE 37TH SESSION OF BSEC BUSINESS COMMITTEE
ArmenPress
April 14 2009
Armenia
YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS: During the 37th session of the Business
Council of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) organization which was
held today chaired by Armenia, issues on economic cooperation between
BSEC states have been discussed. Particularly they concerned to the
issues on the commodity circulation, promotion of the regional economic
integration and providing of new developments in the conditions of
world financial crisis. Representatives of Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia,
Greece, Romania, Turkey and Armenia took part in the session.
According to the permanent representative of Armenia in the BSEC
business council Samson Ozararat Armenia has been a member of the
council since 1992: the first issue which was put during the sessions
and which is being discussed by now refers to the harmonization of the
legislations and the economic norms of the countries of the region. The
world financial crisis hit the global economy and naturally affected
the region, therefore S. Ozararat stressed the importance of usage of
the opportunity given by these discussions for providing continuative
economic developments and starting new programs.
He stressed that after the last session of the Council, which was again
held in Yerevan, it can be seen how much positive changes have taken
place here. "Armenia has been making a lot of progress in its path
towards economic development. It is creating a more-and-more favorable
business and investment climate, so that the business society of each
of the present states can make use of this opportunities", – he said.
S. Ozararat also informed that at the end of June this year Secretary
General of the business council Costas Masmanidis after 9 years of
activity will end his service. Instead of him the office will be taken
up by Ms. Efi Bacopoulo and Mr. Volkan Yuzer will be her assistant.
During the briefing with journalists S. Ozararat noted that the
relations between Armenia and Turkey in the region are problematic
and stressed the importance of their improvement, which is directly
connected with the opening of Armenian Turkish border.
S. Ozararat expressed hope that as a result of the international
cooperation it will be possible to reach a mutual agreement for
abolition of controversies, which will make the further relations
more efficient.
"In the circumstance of regional economic integration we have always
stressed the open borders as important. We hope that the economic
interests will overwhelm and in the nearest future we will have the
result we have for years aimed at", – S. Ozararat said.
Head of the Armenian Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen Arsen
Ghazarian told journalists that there are always certain issues
between BSEC states and the council of BSEC member states and its
business council, the last two sessions of which are held in Yerevan,
are established for their solution.
A. Ghazarian said that pointing out the existing issues at a right
time, the Council works out legal initiatives which are spread over
BSEC member states later to be approved by their parliaments and
become new mechanisms of providing economic developments.