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Parker seeks Texas-Ukraine relationship
By Chris Roark, croark@starlocalnews.com
Texas Rep. Tan Parker spent the last half of May in Ukraine on a personal business trip, which he funded himself.
While he was there, Parker took a shot at helping the Texas economy, too.
Parker, who represents District 63, which includes Flower Mound, said he saw a chance to establish a relationship between Texas and the Eastern European country that could pay dividends down the road.
“We have an opportunity to improve economic development in Texas by bringing in new, foreign investment,” Parker said. “We need to connect the companies in Texas to Ukraine for stronger economic ties.”
Parker met with key officials of the Ukraine government, including the governor of the Harkiv region. Parker then invited the Harkiv governor, lieutenant governor and other business delegates to Texas at the end of the year to meet with him, Gov. Rick Perry and Texas business leaders.
“We want their businesses to invest and grow in Texas to bring in new jobs,” Parker said.
Parker also took part in roundtable discussions that showcased Texas’ economic experience and what Ukraine can learn from the state’s success. Parker also had a one-on-one meeting with the U.S. ambassador in Ukraine to discuss economic opportunities in the United States.
One area of business Parker and Ukraine officials discussed was energy, both traditional fossil fuel energy and alternative energy options. Parker said one idea is for Ukraine energy companies to use Texas companies to help with their resources, thus creating opportunities in the state.
“There is a lot of wealth in Ukraine,” Parker said. “So we’re looking for them to invest in Texas. Better ties between Texas and Ukraine mean greater opportunities for both of us. There is an extraordinary opportunity in Texas to develop a stronger relationship with them.”
Parker and dignitaries also discussed opening the doors to educational exchange programs, as well as collaborating on research projects. Parker met with top researchers who are involved with several projects, including stem cell research.
“There is an America-Ukraine alliance, but not so much in Texas,” Parker said. “So this is charting new waters.”
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