RUSSIA’S BLOCKADE OF GEORGIA AFFECTS TRADE WITH ARMENIA – BELARUS PM

Belapan news agency, Minsk,
23 Oct 06

Minsk, 23 October: Belarusian Prime Minister Syarhey Sidorski has
said that Russia’s transport blockade of Georgia has affected trade
between Belarus and Armenia.

He told reporters in Yerevan on Monday [23 October] that the Belarusian
authorities are keeping a close eye on all transport routes that are
essential to the country’s foreign trade.

Russia cut all transport links with Georgia, which are located to
the north of Armenia, in early October.

Sidorski said that in January-July trade between Belarus and Armenia
increased by 37 per to 14.9m dollars cent year-on-year, which is
500,000 dollars less than in the entire previous year, with Belarusian
exports rising by 28 per cent and imports by 120 per cent.

He said that trade grew at a fast pace but that the growth was still
very insignificant in monetary terms.

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan told the news conference
that the two countries’ governments should seek to create favourable
conditions for cooperation between businesses.

While commenting on Sidorski’s talks in Yerevan, he said that the
Armenian authorities had to drop plans to lease Belarusian machinery
because of its high prices. The Belarusian delegation suggested
opening a maintenance and repair centre for Belarusian-made machinery
in Armenia, Markaryan said, noting that the project might prove sound.

Belarus mainly supplies Armenia with machinery and buys jewellery
and cognac from it.

[Belapan reported at 1028 gmt today that eight accords aimed at
boosting Belarusian-Armenian trade and economic cooperation were
signed in Yerevan after Sidorski’s talks with Markaryan.]