ARMENIAN PM, BELARUS PRESIDENT DISCUSS BOOSTING TRADE
Armenpress
YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS: Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko
told today the visiting Armenian prime minister Andranik Margarian
he was optimistic about the prospects for continued development of
bilateral trade.
“Though trade between our countries is not very big, it however, is
on a constant rise,” Lukashenko told Margarian. Lukashenko also said
he and other government officials would do everything “to satisfy
all requests, desires and materialize all agreements that would be
reached during the visit.”
Margarian in turn said he was likewise pleased with the growing
bilateral trade, but mentioned also areas in which “the available
potential is not used fully.”
The two sides plan to sign several documents, including an
inter-governmental protocol abolishing exclusions from the free
trade regime, as well as agreements on cooperation between the health
ministries and between major television channels.
The two countries will also sign a contract for the supply of
Belarussian mining equipment to Armenia. A Belarussian-Armenian
business forum and an exhibition of Armenian goods will take place
during the visit.
Relations between Belarus and Armenia have been steadily growing in
recent years. Their leaders meet on a regular basis. The two countries
have signed more than 40 agreements, their foreign and other ministries
have established closer relationships.
Last year, bilateral trade turnover increased by 12.4 percent to 10.8
million U.S. dollars. Trade has been growing even more rapidly this
year. In the first two months of 2005, it was 2.5 times bigger than
in the same period of last year.
Belarus supplies lorries, tires, road equipment, chemicals, lumber,
and medicines to Armenia in exchange mainly for hard liquor.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress