NEGOTIATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-GERMAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION START

ARKA
11/09/2007

YEREVAN, September 11. /ARKA/. Negotiations for the development of
Armenian-German intergovernmental cooperation have started in Yerevan.

The press service of the RA Finance and Economy reports that the
negotiations are being conducted by RA Minister of Finance Vardan
Khachatryan and Head of the Department for Central Asia and South
Caucasus, German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development,
Rolf Baldus.

The negotiations agenda includes issues related to programs implemented
in the financial and private sector, energy, water economy, ecology
and other spheres, as well as issues of long-term cooperation.

The sides are also to discuss the issue of signing an agreement on
the abolition of double taxation. The two-day negotiations are to end
in the signing of am protocol aimed at the development of bilateral
partnership.

Participating in the negotiations are members of the RA Government
and of the two countries’ delegations. The German delegation includes
the newly appointed German Ambassador Andrea Victorin.

Armenia and German established diplomatic relations on January 31,
1992.

Financial cooperation programs were launched in 1995. The bilateral
cooperation was expanded after the intergovernmental negotiations in
2001, with the regional program "Caucasian Initiative" being involved.

Armenian-German financial cooperation was aimed at the development of
three principal spheres: the financial and private sectors, energy
and water management. Specifically, the funds were allocated for
the development of small and medium business, repair of high-voltage
substations, renovation of small hydro-power plants, mortgage market
development, renovation of water-supply and drainage systems.

Technical cooperation is focused on communal development, legal
reforms and private business development.

Armenia has received about ~@190mln under Armenian-German cooperation
programs.