Business news

MINSK, 13 June (BelTA) – Belarus suggests that Germany should set up a high-technology cluster in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone. Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov made the relevant statement as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Belarus Peter Dettmar on 13 June, BelTA has learned.

Andrei Kobyakov said: “We invite you to consider the possibility of setting up a high-tech cluster of German enterprises in Belarus. The sites may vary. Locations in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone are an option.”

Andrei Kobyakov said he hopes that Peter Dettmar’s previous experience of working in Belarus as a deputy head of the German embassy in 2009-2013 would help advance Belarus-Germany political, trade, and economic relations to a brand new level. “The current situation, including the political one, is favorable. We can have a look at the issues that slow down our trade and economic relations from a new point of view taking into account new opportunities. We expect we will be able to gain noticeably,” said the Prime Minister.

Belarus-Germany trade turnover has dropped a bit recently. Andrei Kobyakov said he believes that certain efforts are in order to mend the situation. More so because Belarus-Germany cooperation has been traditionally mutually beneficial.

“Germany has been a key foreign partner of Belarus since the very first days of independence. We are grateful to Germany for supporting the Council of the European Union’s decisions to lift sanctions from Belarus. A unique opportunity is emerging for advancing our relations to a brand new level,” stressed Andrei Kobyakov.

Belarus is interested in using instruments of financial support and technical aid of the European Union and Germany as well as the potential of the Eastern Partnership Initiative for the sake of stabilizing and developing the Belarusian economy. “We place emphasis on efforts to bolster our country’s credit rating according to the OECD classification,” stated the Prime Minister.

In his words, Belarus and Germany need new forms of economic interaction. Advanced manufacturing cooperation could be one of them. As an example Andrei Kobyakov mentioned Belarusian Steel Works (BMZ trademark), which makes metal cord, which in turn is widely used to make Continental brand tires. “According to our information, every third Continental tire uses Belarusian metal cord. We need as many positive examples like that as possible. It will allow expanding our economic relations across the board. The economic relations will act as the foundation for building our trade-economic and political relations,” stated Andrei Kobyakov.

The Prime Minister stressed that an independent, confident, economically stable Belarus meets long-term interests of the European Union.

In turn, Peter Dettmar thanked Andrei Kobyakov for the warm welcome and expressed confidence in the expansion of political, trade, and economic relations between Belarus and Germany.