Panarmenian: TRADE TURNOVER BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA $7 MILLION, ACCORDING TO SOME DATA

According to the data of the Turkish side of the Armenian-Turkish council on business development, the annual trade turnover between Armenia and Turkey makes $7 million. As reported by “Arminfo” agency referring to Turkish sources, in the words of the European coordinator of the Armenian-Turkish council Burju Gultekin, export of consumer goods from Turkey to Armenia accounts for most of the turnover. Raw materials, mainly – metal scrap, leather – are exported from Armenia to Turkey. The deals are accomplished via joint Turkish-Georgian firms, he noted. According to the World Bank calculations, in case of absence of political problems the trade turnover between Armenia and Turkey would have made $300 million, and the Armenian national revenue would have increased 60%, Burju Gultekin emphasized. “Being a market not large in size Armenia is not of interest for Turkey either in production respect, or as an international authority. We consider Armenia mostly as a transit country,” – he said. For Armenia Turkey is an exit to Europe, and for Turkey Armenia is an exit to Azerbaijan, the Turkish businessman noted.