COOPERATION WITH EUROPEAN
ARMENIAN ORGANIZATIONS

Armenian businessmen are holding a regular business-forum in Geneva Apr 26-28. They are expected to discuss problems of business in Armenia, Karabakh, Russia and Switzerland. Experts from these countries are invited to the forum to tell the Armenian businessmen about tax legislation, banking systems, customs policy and foreign trade conditions in their countries. The conference is organized by the Armenian Business Forum of Europe (ABFE). ARMINFO has asked General Secretary Toros Sageryan to tell it about the Forum's activities.

- Mr. Sageryan, please tell me about the objectives of the FAAE.

- We are neither a political organization nor a party and do not have any ambitions. Our objective is to create possibilities of a dialogue and cooperation with Armenian communities and unions in Europe. It's up to them to decide what we should do to established ties.

- What steps are you taking to achieve these goals?

- The participants in the first conference of the Forum of Armenian Association in Europe, held in Budapest in 2000, adopted a plan of action having five directions: political, economic, educational, legal and public. Here we have to try to get together and to throw bridges of cooperation between Armenian organizations and communities in Europe. We took these very principles into consideration when we organized a forum of Armenia businessmen last year. 40 businessmen from 17 countries took part in it. Businessmen are very busy folk and they do not have time to arrange such events, that's why we have assumed this function.

- Where and when are you going to hold the next forum?

- The next forum is to be held in Geneva Apr 26-28. We have asked Chairman of Armenia's Central Bank Tigran Sargsyan, Armenia's Trade and Economic Development Minister Karen Tchshmarityan, Karabakh's Prime Minister Anoushavan Daniyelyan and other competent people are expected to come and take part in the forum and to tell the Armenian businessmen about the state of various spheres of Armenia's economy.

- And do you think it is profitable for one to start up his own business in Armenia?

- I have my own business in Armenia and, in my opinion, here a businessman has conditions he cannot have in many other countries. Armenia has many highly qualified specialists who are ready to work for low wages. That's why in Armenia today one can produce high quality goods at low cost.

- Tell me a little about your business: when did you establish you company?

- The Jewelry Company in Armenia was set up almost a year ago together with the Diamond Company Armenia. But though we work jointly and use each other's capacities we are still independent companies. Our company employs people trained by our own specialists. That's why we produce high quality goods. We also use the most up-to-date technologies. These technologies will allow us to produce high quality gold articles during the next 30 years. Particularly, we work with of well-known Swiss firms.

- So, you suppose that it's profitable for a foreign businessman to invest money in Armenian business?

- Three years ago we made a strategic decision - to make Armenia a regional center of jewelry production employing the professionalism of Armenian jewelers and modern Western technologies. I know one of our compatriots who wants to transfer his jewelry factory to Armenia. We invite our foreign compatriots to launch their own businesses in Armenia and I am sure that many will follow our suit.

- What other forums have you organized so far?

- This year we organized a forum of lawyers. Armenian lawyers worldwide showed lively interest in it and it went off surprisingly actively. Chairman of Armenia's Constitutional Court Gagik Haroutyunyan and American lawyer Vardkes Yeghegyan were present at the forum. The participants in the forum discussed the legislation of Armenia and Europe, the legal basis of Karabakh's joining Armenia as well as problems of legal protection of Armenian communities in 18 countries.

-Since we have touched upon political issues, what do you think about the activities of the Armenian-Turkish Reconciliation Commission?

- I think the Armenian-Turkish Reconciliation Commission has much damaged the Armenian interests as in it's work it evaded the question of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey. The commission's work much more served the interests of Turkey and was a weapon in its hands. I know no precedents in history when so few people caused such a great harm to the Armenian interests in such a short span of time. The issue of the Genocide is primary and any attempts to make it secondary must be prevented. That's why this commission should have gone out of existence.