Armenia and France should step up economic relations – ambassador says
13.11.2014,
16:23
Armenia and France should step up their economic relations, which are behind their high level political cooperation, the newly appointed French ambassador to Armenia, Jean-François Charpentier, said Wednesday to Armenian reporters.
YEREVAN, November 13. / ARKA /. Armenia and France should step up their economic relations, which are behind their high level political cooperation, the newly appointed French ambassador to Armenia, Jean-François Charpentier, said Wednesday to Armenian reporters.
"I know that this view is shared also by the Armenian authorities - that our economic relations are behind our political relations. France is the second largest investor in Armenia after Russia, but our trade is very modest - only $50 million a year," said Charpentier.
According to him, Armenia is an important country for France.
"I can not fail to express my satisfaction that I have the chance to help strengthen the Armenian-French relations. I want to note that there are very few non-EU countries with which France has such a high level of political relations as with Armenia and we are determined to continue this relationship," said the ambassador.
He said this was confirmed by French President, Francois Hollande, who said he will travel to Armenia on the April 24 of 2015 to mark with Armenians the centenary of the Armenian Genocide.
According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, French investments in Armenia in the first half of 2014 amounted to about 8.6 billion Armenian drams, of which 2.38 billion drams were direct investment. In 2013 French investments in Armenia’s real economy sector declined by 57 percent from the previous year to $99.1 million.-0-
