Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 14 December (BelTA) – Belarus, Turkey need to enhance cooperation in industry, agriculture and science, Belarus’ Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko said as he met with Turkey’s Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Faruk Ozlu in Minsk on 14 December, BelTA has learned.

“We have already achieved some results of the joint work. However these results in industry, agriculture and science are disproportionately small relative to our possibilities,” Vladimir Semashko said and stressed that Belarus and Turkey should step up cooperation in these areas.

Vladimir Semashko recalled that so far only two Belarusian industrial enterprises, namely Gomselmash and Amkodor, have started working on setting up joint enterprises in Turkey. “I believe that this is not enough, and now we can discuss these issues. With regard to the conditions for our business, for your companies in Belarus, I would like to say that we have a good investment climate, free economic zones with certain preferential treatment both customs and tax. In addition, there is the Chinese-Belarusian industrial park Great Stone and we would be happy to see Turkish partners among its resident companies,” he said.

The deputy prime minister pointed out that in termsof science development Belarus ranks among the leading countries of the world. “We have effective academic and industry-wise science. The Second Congress of Scientists that ended yesterday outlined the tasks for the Belarusian science up to 2040. I think, we also need to cooperate more actively in this field,” he states.

Vladimir Semashko stressed that Belarus is a country with an open economy, therefore, is keen to enhance cooperation with all countries. “After all, we need to export about 70% of goods and services that we produce. Belarus has a well-developed agricultural industry. We have long ensured food security. More so, food products is one of our major export items. Last year we exported agricultural products worth $6.5 billion,” he informed.

“Our cooperation has a great future. The more so that the interaction has started to develop at a very high level: in November last year the Turkish president visited Belarus, which gave a great impetus to the development of our relations. But now we must move from words to action, to specific projects,” the vice premier stated.

For his part, Turkey’s Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Faruk Ozlu said that this is his first visit to Belarus and that he is grateful to the Belarusian side for the wonderful reception. “Yesterday we met with Turkish businessmen who already work or are going to start working in this country. They are satisfied with the terms of work in Belarus,” he added.