Business news

TBILISI, 23 April (BelTA) – Belarus and Georgia agreed that the bilateral trade will make up $200 million in the future after the Belarusian-Georgian business forum which took place in Tbilisi on 22 April, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told reporters after the negotiations with his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Margvelashvili in Tbilisi on 23 April, BelTA has learned.

“There are intentions, certain trade contracts between our countries. It means that we needed to organize this meeting to ensure manifold increase in our bilateral trade,” the Belarusian head of state said.

He emphasized that although in 2014 the bilateral trade reached $64 million, it was the same as in 2013. “Of course, this is not the volume that can suit us. Therefore, our talks focused on the development of trade and economic relations between the countries,” the Belarusian leader remarked. He reminded that in spite of Georgia’s withdrawal from the CIS, the two countries have preserved the free trade regime.

The presidents of Belarus and Georgia agreed that industrial cooperation will be the main priority of bilateral relations. “It is easy to trade, but it is more difficult to set up joint ventures to make necessary products and sell them all over the world. But it is feasible,” the Belarusian leader believes. The sides agreed to implement pilot projects to establish assembly plants for Belarusian elevators, tractors of various modifications in Georgia.

“We will start with that. And I am sure that we will implement these projects in a year or two,” the Belarusian head of state said. “I am convinced that if our governments work efficiently and implement our agreements, the contribution of Belarus to the development of Georgia will be obvious and unquestionable. We want to help our closest and dearest friends, our brothers,” he added.

Belarus is also ready to meet the demand of Georgian partners for agricultural and municipal equipment, passenger transport, medications and farm produce. There are concrete agreements in these areas. The presidents of Belarus and Georgia agreed that the governments of the two countries will work out concrete projects that will help advance the bilateral trade and economic potential.

Speaking about political relations, Alexander Lukashenko mentioned with satisfaction the constructive level of interaction in such international negotiations platforms as the OSCE and the Eastern Partnership Initiative between the two countries. At the meeting the heads of state also discussed the opening of the Belarusian diplomatic mission in Georgia. “We are also eager to enhance inter-parliamentary dialogue between our countries, we expect that the MPs of Belarus and Georgia will prepare legislative initiatives aimed at the stimulation of industrial cooperation,” the Belarusian leader said.

“Belarus always views Georgia as a friendly and close country. The development of Belarus-Georgia political and economic relations meets the interests of the two countries. Georgia is a potentially promising trade an economic partner in Transcaucasia for us,” Alexander Lukashenko stressed.