Armenian-French business club expects government to support French Carrefour’ intention to do business in Armenia

YEREVAN, March 7. /ARKA/. Armand Pinarbasi, president of Armenian-French Business Club, sent an open letter to Armenian Prime Minster Tigran Sargsyan expressing hope that the Armenian government will support French retailer Carrefour’ intention to establish business in Armenia, the press offcie of France’s embassy in Yerevan reported today. 

Pinarbasi was quoted by the press office as saying in his message that Carrefour’s appearance in Armenia would contribute a great deal to development of the natinal economy in terms of creation of new jobs and improvement of services. 

That is why, he said, the Armenian-French Business Club attaches great importance to this large investment program implementation in Armenia. 

The Club was established in 2011 on the initiative of Frech Ambassador to Armenia Henry Renault. The club members are large French companies operating in Armenia and Armenian companies which are doing business France.  

In December 2012, Carrefour Armenia became a member of the club. 

Earlier, Zhamanak (Time), a Yerevan newspaper, reported referring to own sources that Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian entrepreneur of Armenian descent, who was ranked 353rd by Forbes, and the owner of Dalma Garden Mall that is included in Tashir Group, suspended its contract with Carrefour.    

According to the newspaper, the move was prompted by strong opposition from Samvel Alexanyan, an Armenian entrepreneur who imports essential commodities in the country and at whose business Carrefour’s appearance here might strike hard. 

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said the government will do whatever it can to ensure Carrefour’s arrival here, since Armenia is interested in this. 

Commenting on the rumors going around about the contract suspension, the premier told journalists referring to the company’s spokesmen that this is a memorandum on intent, not a contract, and that there is some discord between the parties.   

Economy Minister Tigran Davtyan, on his side, said that delay here is connected with problems between the parties and that there is nothing extraordinary in it. 

Carrefour S.A. is a French multinational retailer headquartered in Boulogne Billancourt, France, in Greater Paris. It is one of the largest hypermarket chains in the world (with 1,395 hypermarkets at the end of 2009), the second largest retail group in the world in terms of revenue, and the third largest in profit (after Wal-Mart and Tesco). Carrefour operates mainly in Europe, Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, but also has shops in North Africa and other parts of Asia. It has 400,000 employees.--0----