Armenian-Turkish Trade Turnover Totals $120 Mln: 525th Newspaper

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15. ARMINFO. The Turkish-Armenian trade turnover has
reached $120 mln against earlier reported $30-40 mln and will amount
to $500 mln if the present trade restrictions are lifted, reports the
525th newspaper (Baku) in its article "What is Going On On the
Turkish-Armenian Border?"

More prospective projects have been drafted for developing Turkey's
economic relations with Armenia than the present exports of food and
garment exports to and the imports of copper goods from that country.

The newspaper quotes the member of the Turkish-Armenian business
council Noyan Soyak as saying that Turkish businessmen are eager to
carry out prospective projects in Armenia's construction, trade and
textile. "We are trying to separate politics from economy to
facilitate the settlement of political problems.  For example Turkey
is discussing its political problems with Greece and Syria in no touch
with economic ties and so may establish diplomatic relations with
Armenia too on the same conditions," says Soyak noting that his
business council has established very good contacts between the
Turkish and Armenian governments and its efforts are actively
supported from both sides.

"We could not move forward without the Turkish government's support.
They know everything about out projects to enlarge interuniversity,
cultural and public ties with Armenia and the meetings we are
organizing between Armenian and Turkish journalists, cultural workers
and businessmen," says Soyak. "Our goal is to create prerequisites for
political-diplomatic meetings," he says.

Saoyak notes that the government change in Georgia has substantially
encouraged the officially "illegal" Turkish-Armenian ties due to
reduced bribery and robbery on the Georgian border. He says that the
Turkish imports into Armenia is usually registered as the products of
trilateral partner-firms from Iran and Georgia.