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MINSK, 27 April (BelTA) – It is necessary to increase trade with France and reach trade surplus for Belarus, Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly Mikhail Myasnikovich said as he met with the French delegation led by Chairman of the France-Belarus Friendship Group of the National Assembly of France, MP Gerald Darmanin on 27 April, BelTA has learned.

“We can increase the volume of mutual trade (currently it is a bit over $500 million and mainly in favor of the French side),” Mikhail Myasnikovich said addressing the attention of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to France Pavel Latushko to the prospects of reaching trade surplus for the country. “We should look at the ways to increase the mutual trade, attract investment. For example, we have $4.1 billion in trade with Germany, $2.18 billion in trade with Italy. We implement investment projects in both the countries,” the Chairman of the Council of the Republic stressed.

According to him, in this respect it is necessary to actively attract well-known French companies to investing in Belarus. “In today’s age of globalization, when we announce the creation of transnational corporations and joint stock companies, attention should be given to these issues. If we lack something in the legislation, we, MPs, are ready to render all necessary assistance to secure the development of the legal framework at the level our partners would want it to be,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said.

“We consider our relations as sustainable and stably developing. I believe there is every reason they grew bigger. We are ready to work within parliamentary contacts and regional ties,” he stressed.

In turn, Pavel Latushko added that in 2014 Belarus’ trade increased by more than 25% while French imports dwindled by 15%. “For the first time over the past nine years we exceeded $100 million in exports,” the diplomat noted.