December 7, 2017 - 14:16 AMT
Armenia may use California as gateway to key sectors of U.S. economy

The possibility of Armenia's using California as a gateway to critically important sectors of the United States economy has been discussed at a recent meeting in Washington.

Armenia's ambassador to the U.S. Grigor Hovhannissian met Congressman Mark Takano who recently joined the Congressional Armenian Caucus.

The parties "discussed key regional issues, developments in the U.S.-Armenia agenda and the need for strengthening trade and economic relations by using California as a gateway to critically important sectors of U.S. economy," the Armenian embassy said in a tweet.

Hovhannissian in early September met U.S. Representative for California Mimi Walters to discuss trade relations between the country and the U.S. state.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has repeatedly called for negotiating a U.S.-Armenia Double Tax Treaty to promote the growth of economic relations between the two countries.

The outdated forty-year-old 1973 U.S.-USSR Tax Treaty is recognized by the U.S. but not Armenia. Yerevan has repeatedly sought to replace this obsolete accord.