Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Signs Historic Environmental Memorandum with California

SAN FRANCISCO—Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Vache Gabrielyan signed the “Under 2 Environmental and Green Energy Climate Accord” on Oct. 16, joining a coalition of two dozen other governments around the world, which work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change.

Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minister Vache Gabrielyan signed the “Under 2 Environmental and Green Energy Climate Accord” on Oct. 16 (Photo: ANCA-WR)

The signing of the accord took place at a meeting arranged by State Senator Anthony J. Portantino on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister Gabrielyan, the Armenian National Committee of America—Western Region (ANCA-WR) Chair Nora Hovsepian, and ANCA-WR Advisory Board Member Levon Kirakosian with Governor Jerry Brown.

In addition, Governor Brown, Senator Portantino, Hovsepian and Kirakosian discussed the recreation of the California-Armenia Trade Office and a formal business relationship.

Portantino chairs the California State Senate Select Committee on California, Armenia and Artsakh Trade, Art and Cultural Exchange. The original Trade Office was a project spearheaded by the ANCA-WR and Portantino’s predecessor, Jack Scott.

“It was an excellent meeting with Governor Brown and the Deputy Prime Minister. Trade opportunities are extremely important to the Armenian American Community, and we are very grateful to Senator Portantino for arranging today’s meeting,” Hovsepian ntoed.

Portantino represents nearly 930,000 citizens of the 25th Senate District, which includes Altadena, Atwater Village, Bradbury, Burbank, Claremont, Duarte, Glendale, Glendora, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Lake View Terrace, La Verne, Los Feliz, Monrovia, Montrose, Pasadena, San Dimas, San Marino, Shadow Hills, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, Sunland-Tujunga, and Upland.