BELARUS PRESIDENT SAYS TRADE WITH ARMENIA ROSE MORE THAN 15 TIMES OVER 10 YEARS

/ARKA/
May 19, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 19, /ARKA/. Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko said
Wednesday his country and Armenia should fully use the economic
component of their relations as he received the visiting Armenian
prime minister Tigran Sarkisian.

Alexander Lukashenko said over the last ten years Belarus-Armenia
trade has increased by more than 15 times ~V from $2.9 million in
2009 to $47.2 million in 2010. In his words, this year has seen
a small decline in the bilateral trade but in the near future the
countries would be able to increase exports. Lukashenko said also
that the bilateral trade increased mainly in the last few years.

~SI remember the times when we thought about establishing any relations
in trade instead of increasing trade figures. Then we decided that
normal conditions should be created in Armenia and Belarus while
self-employed entrepreneurs and businessmen will be able to find ways
on their own,~T he said.

Alexander Lukashenko said he believes the present visit of Armenian
prime minister will give a major boost to the development of relations
between the countries.

In turn, on behalf of the president of Armenia Tigran Sarkisian
expressed good wishes to the Belarusian nation and Alexander Lukashenko
for the special attitude and personal contribution to cooperation
between the countries.

He said he was confident that the advanced political dialogue provides
for fully using the economic component among other things. Tigran
Sarkisian told Alexander Lukashenko about his meeting with his
counterpart Mikhail Myasnikovich.

At the meeting the sides discussed the agenda of Belarusian-Armenian
relations in detail.