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YEREVAN, 17 June. /ARKA/. The first US Special Representative for State and City Diplomacy, Ambassador Nina Khachigian, spoke about the purpose of establishing a new office in Armenia, Novosti-Armenia news agency reported./pp
We have created this office because we know that local leaders are closest to the people. They also feel the impact of international issues like covid, climate change, cyberattacks. We want to connect these local leaders with leaders who are working in Washington and dealing with these issues, Khachigian said./pp
She said local leaders around the world, through the exchange of experiences, can share information about jobs, ideas, and create cultural connections./pp
We want to help local leaders, for which we have brought to Armenia a group of local leaders from the US for the first time. We are creating links between them and their colleagues in Armenia. We hope that these relations will be long-term, communication will emerge between people, Khachigian said./pp
As for what the first joint project will be, she said it should be decided by local leaders together with the business community who will work together here./pp
The State Department never tells local leaders what to do, it's up to them to decide. We create connections and help them, Khachigian said./pp
The U.S.-Armenia Local Government Democracy Forum kicked off Monday in Yerevan./pp
The event, which was opened by Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturian and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma, is the first of its kind, bringing together U.S. and Armenian mayors, regional, state and provincial leaders to exchange views on democracy, according to the U.S. State Department's press office. -0-nbsp;nbsp;/pp nbsp;/pp nbsp;/p
