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Thursday, 15 October 2015

Yerevan Hosts Armenia-Iran Business Forum, Attended by Armenian Prime Minister and Iranian First Vice President







Attended by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and Iranian First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri, an Armenia-Iran business forum kicked off today in the Reception House of the Government of Armenia.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan addressed the forum with greeting remarks, in which he stated: “On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Armenia and myself, I welcome the organizers and guests of the Armenian-Iranian business forum.

We highly appreciate the Armenian-Iranian cooperation, which is based on mutual respect and age-old friendship. I am confident that the current political situation in the region will usher in a new stage in Armenian-Iranian relations.

Today’s business forum is the best way to give new impetus to economic cooperation. This will allow Armenian and Iranian entrepreneurs to get acquainted with each other’s economic conditions, investment opportunities and establish business partnerships in different sectors.

The Government of the Republic of Armenia has embraced a policy of open doors with regard to investment, with almost no restrictions imposed on investment activities. A complex of efficient investment-friendly reforms have been implemented in recent years as evidenced by numerous ratings and indicators published by international organizations.

Today, Armenia is the first among the CIS countries in terms of economic freedom. According to the World Bank’s Doing Business 2015 report, Armenia is the 45th among 189 countries.

The Armenian government abides by a multifaceted foreign economic policy and enjoys preferential trade regimes with many countries. Our country is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, which means that Armenia-make products and commodities can freely enter the 170-million-strong Eurasian consumer market with no impediments or hindrances.

We have signed free trade agreements with the majority of CIS countries, which boast a population of 250 million altogether. At the same time, Armenia enjoys preferential treatment on the part of the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Japan and Norway under the GSP facility, which means that products made in Armenia can be exported toward these countries mediating reduced rates or zero duties.

Moreover, Armenia enjoys even better terms under the European Union’s GSP + trade regime, which enables the import of 6400 Armenian products at zero duty into 28 European countries.

By getting involved in Armenia’s economy, our Iranian partners, too, will be able to benefit from the aforementioned privileges. We are actively cooperating with a number of countries in the Middle East with increasingly growing trade turnover.

A good platform for co-operation may be provided by the free trade zones available in Armenia. There are currently two such zones operational in our country. One of them has an innovative and IT bias, while the other focuses on jewelry and watch-making. The FTZ operators in Armenia are exempt from profit tax, VAT, property tax and customs duties.

Investing in Armenia may prove of good return due to the availability of highly skilled and well-trained workforce, which is promptly responsive to global market changes.

In recent years economy growth has been especially noticeable in the knowledge-based sectors, including information technologies, pharmaceuticals and healthcare. On the rise are the financial and banking sector, jewelry, agriculture, mining, tourism, food processing and other spheres.

Our Iranian partners may be interested in tourism, textiles, processing industries, transport and communications. All this speaks of numerous investment, trade and business opportunities.

Of strategic importance is the activation of transport communications between Armenia and Iran. In this regard, I would single out the North-South Road Corridor investment project and the construction of the Armenia-Iran railroad.

Here, I cannot help highlighting the cooperation in the field of energy and power engineering, including the construction of the third Iran-Armenia high-voltage power transmission line and Meghri HPP. I believe that these projects will add a new quality to our drive for integration with the regional energy systems.

I am hopeful this conference will help you rediscover Armenia as a country of many opportunities, strong with well-trained and hard-working human capital, propitious geographical position and cooperative linkages with many countries –a country where every new initiative gets a special business-tailored treatment.

I wish to remind you that another Armenian-Iranian business forum is coming up in a month in Tehran, which has already aroused great interest among Armenia’s business circles.”

In conclusion, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan wished the forum successful proceedings.

The Armenian-Iranian business forum was also addressed by IRI First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri.

“I am very pleased to attend the meeting of Armenian and Iranian business representatives. Deeply rooted in history, our relationship can be considered as exemplary with a broad range of ever strengthening cultural and political dimensions. Iranian Armenians are contributing to our country’s progress, and we see no hindrances whatsoever to building on our bilateral relations,” the First Vice President of Iran said.

The First Vice President of Iran stressed the need for bringing the potential inherent in economic and trade relations up to the high-level political and cultural dialogue between Armenia and Iran. In this context, he stressed the importance of the Armenian-Iranian business forum, which is a good opportunity to get acquainted with the potentialities available in the economic sphere and boost trade relations.

Eshaq Jahangiri stressed the importance of joint efforts in respect of existing issues. “In this regard, it is important for us to sign a number of memorandums of understanding, including a preferential tariff agreement.”

Mr. Jahangiri noted that as supported by the Iranian side, the third Iran-Armenia high-voltage power transmission line project is advancing successfully. The project had been facing some difficulties, but they were addressed and construction work resumed following Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan’s official visit to Iran. Es’haq Jahangiri expressed confidence that the ongoing activities would be completed within a short period of time.

As regards Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union, the Iranian First Vice President noted that our country could become a good platform for dialogue between Iran and the EEU.

“Armenia is the only country to provide a gateway for exporting Iranian goods toward the Eurasian Economic Union. Besides, Armenia has an important role to play as a transit zone. We have the North-South Transport Corridor; we should settle the railroad issue, which is of regional significance,” Iran’s First Vice President said, noting that Iran is now ready to implement the aforementioned projects.

Mr. Jahangiri stressed the importance of implementing investment projects in free economic zones. He said that the forthcoming business forum in Tehran will help promote exchange of ideas between the Armenian and Iranian business circles, as well as implement new projects and deepen economic relations. In conclusion, the Iranian First Vice President wished the forum successful proceedings, expressing the hope that it would bring about the desired result in trade turnover.

The Armenian-Iranian business forum was attended by over 300 entrepreneurs from Armenia and Iran (about 80 businessmen).
 

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