CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR PUTS VETO UPON BILL ON ESTABLISHING CALIFORNIA TRADE OFFICE IN ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency
Oct 16 2007
Armenia
YEREVAN, October 16. /ARKA/. Governor of American California
State Arnold Schwarzenegger put a veto upon the Senate Bill 515 on
establishing an International Trade and Investment Office of California
in Armenia.
Deputy Director of Californian Governor’s Office Lisa Kalustyan told
ARKA that the decision was accounted for by the lack of International
Trade and Investment strategy.
"The creation of an Armenia trade office was prudent in 2002 when the
Legislature instituted the office. Since then, the Legislature has
closed all other trade offices throughout the world and last year
passed legislation mandating the creation of a state international
trade strategy," he said.
According to Schwarzenegger, the state is prohibited from establishing
any new foreign office until the Legislature receives a strategy to
guide the operation and activities of the office.
"The Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency is required to
complete the strategy by February 1, 2008," the Governor said.
International Trade and Investment Office of California in Armenia
has been operating since 2002, according to the memorandum on mutual
understanding signed between Armenia and California state (USA)
in 2001. The structure was established with the aim of activating
bilateral trade and economic relations and development of Armenia’s
export potential taking into account the fact that there is a big
Armenian community – about 500,000 people – living in California.