Chairman of Armenian Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Union: "Armenia must be ready for serious cooperation first with Turkey and then with Azerbaijan"

Speaking on the Armenian Public Television, he noted that "opening of borders will not lead to "swallowing" of country's economy by Turkey and on the contrary there will be a sound competition and an opportunity for rapid development".

He said it is necessary to involve popular diplomacy, business diplomacy and so on.

According to him, today the Turkish market accounts for 35,000 Armenian citizens and the trade turnover between the countries reaches $100,000,000.

"This is the most available market for Armenia in conditions of closed borders and official embargo", noted he.

Speaking about the future relations in the region, the chairman noted that "finally we will reach serious economic, cultural and political cooperation between our peoples, including Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Turks, Georgians and Kurds on the territory of historical Anatolia".

"Merely it is necessary to wait for the political thought of our Turkish colleguas to get mature and for the established image to be destroyed in Turkey. We, Armenians, have taken our step, proven by the initiative of the Armenian president to invite Turkish President Gul for a football match", said Kazaryan.

He voiced hope that "in the near future the relations between the two countries will be solved - borders will open and Armenia must be ready for serious cooperation and implementation of economic programs with neighbor countries, primarily Turkey and in the future with Azerbaijan, when relations go softer".

/ARMENIA-Today/