Print this page
Monday, 14 July 2003
ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY DEPUTY SPEAKER WARNS OF DANGER OF REOPENING
By empty (7/14/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)
Speaking at a 12 July press conference, Armenian parliamentary Deputy Chairman Vahan Hovannisian warned that opening the Turkish-Armenian border would place \"Armenia\'s interests under direct threat.\" Hovannisian explained that an unrestricted opening of the border with Turkey would lead to irreparable harm to Armenian agriculture and would spur a \"flood of cheaper products in the Armenian market,\" leading to \"serious losses\" for Armenian farmers. The deputy speaker recommended that Armenia should place higher priority in the reopening of the railway link through Abkhazia, suggesting that the Abkhaz route would \"enable Armenia to export competitively priced products.
Speaking at a 12 July press conference, Armenian parliamentary Deputy Chairman Vahan Hovannisian warned that opening the Turkish-Armenian border would place \"Armenia\'s interests under direct threat.\" Hovannisian explained that an unrestricted opening of the border with Turkey would lead to irreparable harm to Armenian agriculture and would spur a \"flood of cheaper products in the Armenian market,\" leading to \"serious losses\" for Armenian farmers. The deputy speaker recommended that Armenia should place higher priority in the reopening of the railway link through Abkhazia, suggesting that the Abkhaz route would \"enable Armenia to export competitively priced products.\" The Armenian-Turkish border has been closed for a decade as a result of Turkey joining the Azerbaijani-imposed trade and transport blockade of Armenia. (Armenpress)