Armenia ups cut diamond output 7%

15.04.2004 12:08:00 GMT

Yerevan. (Interfax) – Armenia raised cut diamond output 7%
year-on-year to 31.26 billion dram in the first quarter of 2004.

Cut diamond sales were unchanged at 29.218 billion dram and exports
inched up 0.2% to 28.941 billion dram, said Ashot Shakhnazarian, a
first deputy trade and economic development minister.

Supplies of Russian uncut diamonds came to a halt when mining company
Alrosa relaxed its prices, Shakhnazarian said. Armenia is now hoping a
government-to-government trade agreement that governs the supplies can
be amended to incorporate certain concessions, he said.