There is great potential of cooperation between the US and Armenia, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary John Heffern, who served as a US Ambassador to Armenia, said at the US Congress on Wednesday.

In his words, instead of providing humanitarian aid, the US wishes to develop trade and economic relations with Armenia, the Voice of America reports.

Mr Heffern is one of the persons, who is well-aware of the Armenian-American partnership. During his service as a US Ambassador to Armenia from 2011 to 2014, he contributed to the development of bilateral political and trade and economic relations.

Responding to the question of Congressman Brad Sherman, Heffern noted that they want to develop the bilateral relations based on provision of support, reaching relations based on commercial cooperation.

He also noted that the Armenian-American Trade and Investment Framework Agreement signed in May 2015 already contributes to the development of trade and economic relations between the two states. USAID representative Margot Ellis, for her part, noted that US considers cooperation with Armenia in the IT and energy spheres as promising.

According to her, these are the spheres, which can not only develop the Еuro-Atlantic integration, but also enable involving the US companies and develop the partnership with Armenia.

Brad Sherman expressed conviction that the drafting and signing of a double tax treaty plays an important role in developing the Armenian-American economic cooperation. The Congressman thus called on the representatives of the Department of State to urge the US Department of the Treasury to draft a tax agreement with Armenia, considering this as a priority issue.

John Heffern noted that the Armenian side has already officially stated that it is ready to start drafting the treaty based on the American sample. He also noted that the Department of the Treasury gives a priority to such issues only based on one standard—whether the US companies will favor from that treaty.

Heffern assured that they also consider the opinion of the Department of State.