Updates
Statements and messages of the President of RA
08
09, 2009
Opening remarks of President Serzh Sargsyan at the Armenian-Croatian Business Forum
President Mesic,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
First, I would like to once again thank President Mesic for warm hospitality.
I salute the participants of the Armenian-Croatian Business Forum. This is the first Forum of the Armenian and Croatian businessmen, and it provides a good opportunity for the entrepreneurs of our two countries to establish ties and to outline future cooperation. It is also important that the Forum is taking place amidst the economic and financial crisis, which makes its potential outcome even more important.
If organized regularly this kind of forums could play a significant role in invigorating trade and economic relations of our two countries and in the establishment of a mutually beneficial cooperation among different sectors of economy.
Armenia and Croatia are countries which have historically normal relations and a great potential for economic cooperation. The desire of the two peoples to learn more about and to cooperate with each other comes from ancient times, and lately favorable conditions have emerged for political dialogue as well as for economic cooperation.
Independent Armenia and Croatia inherited diverse and science-based economy and my contacts with my esteem colleague, the President of Croatia prove that we also have similar ambitions regarding future development of our economies. It provides our businessmen with ample opportunities to engage in a mutually beneficial cooperation in different areas of economy.
Armenia’s background, scientific and technological potential create prerequisites for the advancement in the areas of information technology, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and chemical industry. Today, after visiting the Zagreb observatory and learning about the newly established web for the Space environment studies, we saw once again that nowadays the Armenian physicists are competitive just as in the past.
Armenia possesses a serious potential also in agriculture industry, construction, light industry, jewelry production, tourism, and energy development. These are our priority areas and our Government makes persistent efforts for the development of business environment, aspiring to create a “value added”, export oriented, and internationally competitive economy.
The sphere of international technologies in Armenia as well as in Croatian has been identified as a priority area for the economic development and both countries have considerable achievements in that area. The Government of Armenia attaches importance not only to the development of information technologies as a discrete area but also sees it as a tool for moving Armenian economy forward through the production and services it offers. With this regard we have discussed with the Croatian brunch of Ericsson company possibilities for cooperation in the area of introducing electronic health care system.
With the esteemed President of Croatia we have also spoken about unexploited opportunities in the area of tourism. In particular, study of the Croatian experience and use of the Croatian potential in training specialists in that area can open new and broad opportunities for entrepreneurs engaged in that area.
Great prospects for cooperation are opening now also in the area of infrastructure development which is rapidly progressing in Armenia, among them the investment programs for the North-South highway, railroad and nuclear power station construction. These are multi-billion projects and offer great opportunities for the Croatian companies.
Armenia can provide for an efficient investment outcome through its financial markets. Particularly, various banks of international standing from the countries of different cultures dominate the banking area, while OMX NASDAQ owns the stock exchange. We are planning to introduce new pension system which will enhance the creation of pension funds. The mandatory system of accrual is close to the one functioning in Croatia, the possibility of which, I am sure, is hard to overestimate due to the existing results.
During President Mesic’s visit to Armenia in May, 2009 we pledged to spare no effort to establish and develop mutually beneficial relations between our two peoples. To reach that goal it will be necessary to meet two requirements: to create a legal field and develop direct contacts between the business circles of our two countries.
As for the first one, as you know during President Mesic’s visit to Armenia the Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Tax Evasion was signed. We are taking steps towards further augmentation of the legal field for the establishment and strengthening of trade and economic relations striving to launch a diverse cooperation in the economic and trade area and facilitating contacts among businessmen.
However, at this point I would like to invite your attention to a more pressing requirement – direct contacts between business circles for which, as I have already said, business forum is the best venue.
Meetings and contacts as such create a certain base and provide direction for furthre economic cooperation and provide an excellent opportunity for finding avenues and even new areas for cooperation.
Considering the fact that both our countries have adopted policy of European integration as well as the fact that the European Union is Armenia’s number one economic and trade partner, I believe that we need to interact more closely in the European structures. I am confident that cooperating in the framework of the Armenia-EU free trade agreement, our countries and markets will come closer together and will facilitate a considerable increase of trade turnover.
I would like to once again salute the organizers, participants, and guests of the Armenian-Croatian Business Forum and express hope that some time later we will be able to talk about certain achievements.
Thank you.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
First, I would like to once again thank President Mesic for warm hospitality.
I salute the participants of the Armenian-Croatian Business Forum. This is the first Forum of the Armenian and Croatian businessmen, and it provides a good opportunity for the entrepreneurs of our two countries to establish ties and to outline future cooperation. It is also important that the Forum is taking place amidst the economic and financial crisis, which makes its potential outcome even more important.
If organized regularly this kind of forums could play a significant role in invigorating trade and economic relations of our two countries and in the establishment of a mutually beneficial cooperation among different sectors of economy.
Armenia and Croatia are countries which have historically normal relations and a great potential for economic cooperation. The desire of the two peoples to learn more about and to cooperate with each other comes from ancient times, and lately favorable conditions have emerged for political dialogue as well as for economic cooperation.
Independent Armenia and Croatia inherited diverse and science-based economy and my contacts with my esteem colleague, the President of Croatia prove that we also have similar ambitions regarding future development of our economies. It provides our businessmen with ample opportunities to engage in a mutually beneficial cooperation in different areas of economy.
Armenia’s background, scientific and technological potential create prerequisites for the advancement in the areas of information technology, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and chemical industry. Today, after visiting the Zagreb observatory and learning about the newly established web for the Space environment studies, we saw once again that nowadays the Armenian physicists are competitive just as in the past.
Armenia possesses a serious potential also in agriculture industry, construction, light industry, jewelry production, tourism, and energy development. These are our priority areas and our Government makes persistent efforts for the development of business environment, aspiring to create a “value added”, export oriented, and internationally competitive economy.
The sphere of international technologies in Armenia as well as in Croatian has been identified as a priority area for the economic development and both countries have considerable achievements in that area. The Government of Armenia attaches importance not only to the development of information technologies as a discrete area but also sees it as a tool for moving Armenian economy forward through the production and services it offers. With this regard we have discussed with the Croatian brunch of Ericsson company possibilities for cooperation in the area of introducing electronic health care system.
With the esteemed President of Croatia we have also spoken about unexploited opportunities in the area of tourism. In particular, study of the Croatian experience and use of the Croatian potential in training specialists in that area can open new and broad opportunities for entrepreneurs engaged in that area.
Great prospects for cooperation are opening now also in the area of infrastructure development which is rapidly progressing in Armenia, among them the investment programs for the North-South highway, railroad and nuclear power station construction. These are multi-billion projects and offer great opportunities for the Croatian companies.
Armenia can provide for an efficient investment outcome through its financial markets. Particularly, various banks of international standing from the countries of different cultures dominate the banking area, while OMX NASDAQ owns the stock exchange. We are planning to introduce new pension system which will enhance the creation of pension funds. The mandatory system of accrual is close to the one functioning in Croatia, the possibility of which, I am sure, is hard to overestimate due to the existing results.
During President Mesic’s visit to Armenia in May, 2009 we pledged to spare no effort to establish and develop mutually beneficial relations between our two peoples. To reach that goal it will be necessary to meet two requirements: to create a legal field and develop direct contacts between the business circles of our two countries.
As for the first one, as you know during President Mesic’s visit to Armenia the Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Tax Evasion was signed. We are taking steps towards further augmentation of the legal field for the establishment and strengthening of trade and economic relations striving to launch a diverse cooperation in the economic and trade area and facilitating contacts among businessmen.
However, at this point I would like to invite your attention to a more pressing requirement – direct contacts between business circles for which, as I have already said, business forum is the best venue.
Meetings and contacts as such create a certain base and provide direction for furthre economic cooperation and provide an excellent opportunity for finding avenues and even new areas for cooperation.
Considering the fact that both our countries have adopted policy of European integration as well as the fact that the European Union is Armenia’s number one economic and trade partner, I believe that we need to interact more closely in the European structures. I am confident that cooperating in the framework of the Armenia-EU free trade agreement, our countries and markets will come closer together and will facilitate a considerable increase of trade turnover.
I would like to once again salute the organizers, participants, and guests of the Armenian-Croatian Business Forum and express hope that some time later we will be able to talk about certain achievements.
Thank you.