| Turkish Daily News
11 September 2003
ERZURUM – Turkish businessmen want to lift the export ban on Armenia in order to have easier access to Turkic republics and to further benefit from markets in these countries.
Chairman of Eastern Anatolian Exporters’ Union Huseyin Efendioglu said that if the ban on export to Armenia was abolished, more secure, shorter and cheaper transportation to the Turkic republics would be possible and added, “If it happened, the trade capacity in Eastern Anatolia would increase to about $2.5 billion.
Referring to the current export transport route to the Turkic republics passing through Iran, Efendioglu stated, “Iranians try every way possible to prevent Turkish businessmen. They know that we have no alternative route. The trade ban on Armenia should be abolished to get rid of the Iranian barrier.”
Expressing that the transport route, which has a length of over 1,500 kilometers through Iran, would be reduced to 500 kilometers through Armenia if the trade ban on Armenia was abolished, Efendioglu emphasized that rail trasport was another alternative.
Efendioglu also pointed out that Armenian officials and businessmen are also in favor of opening the border between Turkey and Armenia.
Cihan |
Akgün Medya