YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–The third session of the Armenian-American Task Force began in Yerevan on March 5. The head of the Armenian delegation–Economy and Finance Minister Vardan Khachatrian presented the legislative aspects of forming Armenia’s investment policy. The cochairmen from the American side–State Department Coordinator for Aid to the NIS–William Taylor promised US assistance in finding solutions to the issues discussed during the session.
The two-day session will discuss ways of improving Armenia’s investment climate–including the organization of a forum on investmen’s in New York in May of this year. The forum will deal with Armenia–the security and privatization of its energy sector–the government’s anti-corruption policy–US aid programs for Armenia as well as earthquake area rehabilitation.
The Task Force was set up in January 2000. It has held two sessions so far – one in Yerevan and one in Washington. During the first session Armenia’suggested that an agreement on avoiding double taxation be signed between the two states. The American side proposed preliminary conditions–one of which was stabilization of Armenia’s tax system. This issue is on the agenda of the third session.
Armenia has so far signed agreemen’s on avoiding double taxation with 13 states.