Mnatsakanyan: BSEC economic agenda needs revision and adaptation to  modern world economic trends

ArmInfo. As the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told ArmInfo, the Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan stated during a welcoming speech at the opening of the meeting of the BSEC Foreign Ministers Council on June 27.

At the same time, he reaffirmed the commitment of the new Armenian  government, to fully apply the BSEC potential in stimulating regional  economic and trade cooperation, as well as effectively implementing  the organization's charter goals. In this context, the Armenian  minister emphasized that the above-mentioned goals are also the basis  of Armenia's presidency in the BSEC. "Being the coordinating country  of the BSEC working group on communications and information  technologies, which has a significant potential in the field of  information and communication technologies and programming, Armenia  encourages consistent cooperation between the Organization's member  states in this field." In 2019, the world congress of information  technologies will be held in Armenia. BSEC member countries take this  opportunity, share and benefit from our collective experience,  maximize the having broadened cooperation in this field,"  Mnatsakanyan said.

At the same time, he stressed that the sustainable development of  tourism has a significant potential for cooperation in the BSEC  region. The Armenian Minister informed that Armenia initiated the  project "Wine Tourism on the Silk Road" and it also implements in the  BSEC in the framework of cooperation with the World Tourism  Organization. Mnatsakanyan noted that the project already enjoys the  support of some BSEC member states and urged the others to join as  well.

At the same time, the minister said that in the business area,  Armenia attaches importance to the more active involvement of the  BSEC economic community, to stimulating and supporting small and  medium- sized business in business relations. "We are also convinced  that the BSEC economic agenda for 2012 needs to be revised and  adapted to the current world economic trends.In this respect, the  institutional potential of the BSEC needs a realistic assessment."  BSEC is not the only international organization that is going through  reforms. However, the reform process does not mean a revision of the  organization's main goals .We are convinced that in order to improve  the effectiveness of BSEC, practical and realistic measures aimed at  achieving the strategies outlined in the Declaration of the Final  Summit and the BSEC Community," Mnatsakanyan said.

At the same time, the Armenian Foreign Minister expressed the  conviction that economic cooperation within the framework of the BSEC  will benefit even more if it interacts with other regional and other  organizations and integration platforms. "Armenia is a member of the  Eurasian Economic Union, which allows 180,000 consumer markets to  enter the free customs zone." Armenia also has a strong and expanding  partnership with the European Union, the legal basis of which is the  comprehensive and expanded partnership agreement. "In October,  Francophonie, on the margins of which will be held a business forum  that will become a solid platform for regional and global business  partners, government representatives and civil society from 80  countries of the world. Of course, we expect the participation of our  BSEC partners and their business circles in this forum," concluded  Mnatsakanyan.