Armenia’s Consul General to Los Angeles Ambassador Armen Baibourtian and Counselor Varazdat Pahlavuni on Wednesday met with Evan G. Reade, International Affairs Advisor of California’s Lieutenant Governor, and Emily Desai, Special Advisor for International Affairs and Investment, at Governor Gavin Newsom’s office. The purpose of the December 18 meeting was to draft a plan of action for the implementation of the provisions of the Framework Agreement on Cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the State of California.
The Framework Agreement was signed On September 24 in New York, by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and Governor of California Gavin Newsom, in the presence of Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The Framework Agreement is the first signed during Governor Newsom’s tenure, and Armenia is one of the dozens of countries with which California has signed a Framework Agreement.
The Consul General emphasized the importance of implementing the provisions of the Framework Agreement in the context of developing bilateral cooperation. In particular, Ambassador Baibourtian highlighted the importance of developing a comprehensive action plan in the fields of information and high technologies, tourism, agricultural technologies, alternative energy, and related clean technologies. It was agreed that, during the next meeting, the officials of California’s Government would present proposals for a Framework Agreement implementation plan, based on the priorities outlined by the Armenian side. At the end of the meeting, Consul General Baibourtian also had a discussion with Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis.
