YEREVAN (Armenpress)–The third session of the US-Armenian Joint Economic Task Force commenced on Monday in Armenia’s capital Yerevan.
The five-member US delegation was led by the Coordinator of US aid for former Soviet republics–Ambassador Bill Taylor. The Armenian delegation was headed by the Minister of Finance Vardan Khachatrian.
A wide spectrum of issues concerning the improvement of the investment climate–macroeconomic policy–fiscal issues–legislative reforms–foreign investment–anti-corruption efforts–energy security for Armenia–direction of US assistance programs for Armenia–as well as other bilateral issues will be discussed during the three-day session.
The US diplomats also will study an Armenian government proposal to sign an agreement which would eliminate double taxation between the two countries. The US side has some reservations concerning the taxation system in Armenia. During the last session of the US-Armenian task force last year in Washington–American officials had asked for more stability in taxation.
The US-Armenian task force was created in 1999 on the initiative of former US Vice-President Al Gore and former Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisian. The US-Armenian inter-governmental task force was set up to boost economic reforms in Armenia and to oversee the efficient use of US economic assistance.