12/05/2014 19:45
Armenian-French economic forum starts in Yerevan
An Armenian-French economic forum started in Yerevan today as part of the state visit of French President Francois Hollande to Armenia.
The forum organized by the Armenian Development Agency (ADA) and the French embassy in Armenia is attended by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and French President Francois Hollande.
“The visit of President Hollande to Armenia is marked by a business forum. It is no accident that this forum opens the state visit of the French president,” Serzh Sargsyan stated.
In his words, the economic component is significant in Armenian-French relations and the heads of the two countries are determined to raise economic cooperation to the level of political ties between the countries.
Trust plays an important role in partnership, the Armenian president said addressing entrepreneurs.
Serzh Sargsyan reminded those present that Armenian-French economic relations have shared a long path: in the 13th-14th centuries ,Armenian princes in the Kingdom of Cilicia used to give discounts to French merchants, while later Cardinal Richelieu granted commercial privileges to Armenian merchants. Besides, the first cafes in Paris and Marseilles were opened by Armenians, the president said.
40 French companies and 170 Armenian ones are participating in the two-day Armenian-French forum. Bilateral trade amounted to $26.1 million in 2013, with exports of $4.3 million and imports of $21.8 million. In 2013 French investments in Armenia made $99.1 million.