“We now have to develop our relationships to establish more developed and more regulated relations for our children,” announced Akif Arıcan, President of Fethiye Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also Board President of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, at the meeting with the Armenian and Turkish journalists. The meeting was organized by support of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation and financial support of the European Union, in the framework of the program “Support to Armenia-Turkey normalization process”.
Mr. Arıcan noticed that there is tension in Armenia-Turkish relationship, given the historical past, he considered the establishment of trade relations an important condition for normalization of relations. “Of course, we also face problems when sending products to Armenia through any third country. It is preferable that it is sent by Armenia – Turkey direct way. Mainly, we have to sit face to face and solve many issues through discussions. The interested should not be one-sided, but it is necessary to compare the bilateral interests, and as a result to sit down to discuss and develop the economic relations,” he said.
He presented his vision of cooperation between the two countries. “We, as an NGO, can cooperate with equivalent NHOs operating in Armenia, to organize what kinds of mutual products we have: they will present their kinds of products, we – ours, the directions and we’d start cooperating.”
Aravot.am asked Mr. Arıcan whether the Fethiye Chamber of Commerce and Industry is trying to influence on the policy towards the normalization of Armenian- Turkish relations conducted by the government, if he so much signifies the establishment of commercial relations. He replied that all Chambers of Commerce and Industry operating in Turkey are united around one structure, and any program suggested by the Chambers are discussed with the head of the unified Chambers, and then presented also to the government. He considered the organization of the meeting with the journalists a first step as such.
In the separate interview with Aravot.am, the President of the Fethiye Chamber of Commerce and Industry also spoke about the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He said what we hear almost from all Turks. “This issue is constantly under discussion between Armenia and Turkey, and I think that I should leave this issue for those who are more specialized in this, the historians. As for us, it is clear that we need to know our past better. But we also need to leave so that the matter is solved. We cannot have our intervention in the political matter, but we have a president of the Union, and I know that he is raising this issue before the politicians.”
Note that in the framework of the program “Support to Armenia-Turkey normalization process,” the Armenian and Turkish journalists are participating in the two-week bus trip around Turkey and Armenia, discovering mutual traditions and discussing the policy conducted between the two countries. Aravot.am is a part of this tour, and will keep introducing the future meetings and discussed topics during the tour.
Hripsime HOVHANNISYAN
