THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 15, 1995 TAG: 9505150070
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
Gov. George Allen plans a 12-day trade mission to Western Europe next month.
Beginning June 5, Allen will visit England, Sweden and Germany with about 15 Virginia business leaders and a handful of local economic development officials.
The trip is designed to boost Virginia exports to those countries as well as lure more foreign investment to the state.
``First and foremost, we will promote Virginia as a place to invest and to create jobs,'' Allen said last week. ``Great Britain, Sweden and Germany have a large presence in Virginia.''
The trip includes stops in England at London and Leeds and a two-day visit to Gothenburg in Sweden. Allen is to meet with former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who briefly met with the Republican governor in Richmond three months ago. There also will be discussions with the U.S. ambassadors in London and Frankfurt.
The primary destination appears to be Germany. The group will spend seven days in Munich, Berlin, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt.
The weak U.S. dollar against the countries' currencies should help Virginia in both investments and exports, Allen said.
The Allen administration's approach to overseas business trips is somewhat different from that of Allen's predecessors. Democratic Govs. Gerald L. Baliles and L. Douglas Wilder, who were energetic globetrotters on behalf of Virginia, usually took along state government business officials.
But Allen, who pushes the interests of private business, has carved out a major role on his trips for private business people.
KEYWORDS: TRADE MISSION by CNB