During the November 22 opening ceremony of Armenian-Turkish business forum, Chairman of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia Arsen Ghazaryan requested the participants to observe a minute's silence to commemorate the victims of the recent Van earthquake.

He noted that despite the absence of political and economic ties between the two countries the forum has brought together 50 entrepreneurs from various parts of Turkey (Istanbul, Ankara, Malatya, Igdir, Kars, Diyarbakır, etc.)

According to Ghazaryan, the large number of participants testifies to “the entrepreneurs’ intention to establish and develop bilateral economic relations waiting for the Turkish government to finally take up an impartial policy regarding opening of the border.”

Talking with journalists, Ghazaryan noted that the Armenian side aims at developing the existing economic ties, lobbying export of the Armenian products in Turkey to prove Turkish authorities that even close borders and economic embargos do not hinder bilateral economic cooperation.