The volume of Russian-Armenian trade soared to about $700 million in 2007 and may well pass the $1 billion mark this year. Yesterday during the meeting with journalists said the Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and the Russian Prime Minister Victor Zubkov.
The delegation headed by Russia’s Prime Minister Victor Zubkov arrived in Armenia on February 5. Yesterday after a broad meeting with governmental officials the Prime Ministers of the two countries answered the questions of journalists. Prior to that Zubkov and Armenian Prime Minister Sargsyan had a tete-а-tete, during which they summed up the results of the arrangements they made during their last meeting in Moscow in 2007. Serzh Sargsyan assured the visit of the Head of RF Government will contribute to the development of Armenian Russian relations and will strengthen the mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. In the words of Sargsyan during the previous years the volume of trade-circulation has grown by 65% and crossed the limit of 700 million dollars. Meanwhile the potential of our cooperation is much more and we have all the opportunities to surpass the volumes of 1 billion dollars’ commodity circulation. The most important condition, in this sense, is the problem of transportation communication, because this component hinders the development of cooperation between our countries. In my view the concession-agreement on Russia’s control over Armenian railway will greatly contribute to the solution of this conflict. I strongly believe that the joint exploitation of the railway will greatly amplify the volume of commodity circulation between the two countries. Sochy is going to become the capital of Winter Olympic Games and there is a necessity of a huge constructive work there. Armenia has a big amount of construction materials. So after the exploitation of the railway we can satisfy Russian demand, thus multiplying commodity circulation. However, in official releases and speeches of the prime ministers of the two countries the structure of the 700 million USD circulation. The reality is that 500 out of 700 million USD comes from importation. It means that the negative balance of Armenia’s trade with Russia amounted to 300 million USD and in 2006 this index amounted to 183 million USD. This is not a very sufficing index. However if the optimism of the prime ministers comes true the situation may be improved due to the exportation of Armenia construction materials. In particular as Zubkov yesterday mentioned the first potion of cement has already reached Sochy and the specialists find the product competitive. During the negotiators they have spoken not only about trade circulation but also investment. Touching upon the issue of the industrial and scientific-industrial enterprises, given to RF according to the agreement “Property for Debt” RF Prime Minister clarified: “At present we are at the stage of re-forming these enterprises and including them in one scientific-industrial complex, which will come to an end in the coming six months. I assure you we will maintain all the thematic and production directions of those scientific institutions. Now we are in the process of making an inventory of the whole complex. And during the second six months, when the time will come to set the enterprises working, private investors will be involved. In the near future you will eyewitness a noticeable progress.” Serzh Sargsyan once again assured that the Russian capital feels good in Armenia. It’s hard not to agree with these words if we take into account the fact that all the strategic objects of Armenia, including energy, communication, are in the hands of Russia. The opinions are different whether it’s good or bad. Let’s remember that in October of the last year a discussion was organized in the Pressing Club adjacent to the 168-Zham newspaper, entitled the Russian Capital in Armenia. For example the director of the ArmRusGazArd Karen Karapetyan doesn’t much care whether the essential presence of the Russian capital is motivated by economic or political motives. Mr. Karapetyan is more concerned whether Armenia benefits from that capital or not. In his opinion Armenia definitely benefits from it. The Minister of Transport and Communication of RA was also satisfied by the presence of the Russian capital in Armenia and ensured that all the deals cut with Russia proved to be successful. But why do only Russian buy our objects? Mr. Manukyan doesn’t see anything bad in that and thinks that whoever pays can buy. If some Armenian of other national could afford he/she could buy. Economist Tigran Jrbashyan thinks that the Russian capital dictates its own rules of the game. For example, former Prime Minister f Armenia Hrant Bagratyan saw a hazard in the presence of the Russian capital in Armenia. He named it destruction of diversification of risks. “It should have been as a red line of the state,” said. Mr. Bagratyan. Several months have passed since the mentioned discussion and the transaction of the railway has become reality. Thus, if we look at the things in the aspect of Bagratyan we have already trespassed the red line – the strategic partnership feels good in Armenia.