Suren Karayan: Armenia could be a sui generis bridge to EEU for France

ArmInfo. Suren Karayan, the Minister of Economic Development and Investments of Armenia, during his meeting with Jean-Francois Charpentier, Ambassador of France to Armenia, mentioned the necessity of efforts consolidation aimed at  the increase of foreign trade turnover between two countries, the information of the press  office of  Armenian Ministry of Economy reads.

According to Karayan, Armenia could become a sui generis bridge to EEU and Iran for France. He mentioned  also that there  many projects developed to be submitted for Ambassador's review, because those could be of a certain  interest for French businessmen. Armenian Minister noted also that at the transboundary zone with Iran a free economic zone is to be established, where the French partnership will be welcomed as well.  "I am intended to appoint and to instruct a special employee at Armenian Development Fund to deal with all the issues and questions that French businessmen are interested in.  Hence, many problems will find their solutions, and if not - I will be informed immediately," Karayan ensured.

In his turn, Charpentier accentuated that in recent years the improvement of Armenian- French cooperation is among the priorities of the French Government. According to him, there are bright examples of such cooperation like the Agreement between French company  of Veolia and Armenian Government, as well as like the intensive activities of the French Development Agency in Armenia. " We monitor attentively all the approaches of Armenian Government, starting with the establishment of free economic zone and finishing with any other innovation based approach, for instance, those aimed at monopoly struggle, business environment improvement, investments increase.  Everything that could attract foreign investments is in the focus of our attention. There are  certain aspects that have already generated the interest of the French part,"  Charpentier said.

According to the information of the National Statistics Service of Armenia, the foreign  trade turnover between Armenia and  France in 2016 formed USD 56,9 mln, with an annual drop down for 19,3%. The export made USD 3,8 mln with 28,4 % dropdown, and the import - USD 53,1 mln respectively with 28,4 % decrease.