Armenian mp says laws need to be changed to protect Armenian economy once the border with turkey opens
YEREVAN, October 22, /ARKA/. An Armenian parliament member from the governing Republican Party said today the authorities will have to amend a set of laws to protect Armenia’s economic interests once Armenia and Turkey establish diplomatic relations.
Speaking at a news conference Mkrtich Minasian said changes must be made, particularly to taxation and customs legislations to protect Armenia’s economic interests, to regulate economic and financial flows and resolve many other questions.
“We must defend the interest of Armenian producers, we must do everything to preclude damages for our economy, once the border is open’ he said, adding, however, that the availability of a third transport route through Turkey (in addition to Iran and Georgia) is ‘extremely’ important.
“Let us imagine that the last year Georgian-Russia war lasted not 5 days but 15-20. The question that arises is how could Armenia bring in daily thousands of tons of fuel, flour and other vital commodities,” he said, adding that this would not have been possible through Iran.
On October 10 Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols in Zurich, Switzerland, to establish diplomatic relations and reopen their border. The protocols need to be ratified by their parliaments. The Armenian-Turkish border was closed by Turkey in 1993 in solidarity with Azerbaijan. -0-
