Opinions & Interviews

Dnieper freight traffic project to add to development momentum of Belarus, Turkey

MINSK, 10 September (BelTA) - The project to start freight traffic along the Dnieper is designed to give a serious impetus to the development of Belarus and Turkey, Chairman of the Standing Commission on International Affairs of the House of Representatives Valery Voronetsky said as he met with Volkan Bozkir, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in Minsk on 10 September, BelTA has learned.

Valery Voronetsky believes that Belarusian and Turkish MPs can assist the efforts to strengthen logistical ties between the countries. At the moment, Belarus and Turkey are working out the possibility, at the level of ambassadors and governments, of starting traffic freight along the Dnieper using river-sea class vessels.

Belarus is interested in bolstering economic ties, creating Belarusian production facilities, enterprises in Turkey and Turkish companies in Belarus. Valery Voronetsky recalled that Belarus has free economic zones and Turkish business has gained a foothold in them.

Valery Voronetsky stressed the importance of developing cooperation in science, noted the active development of relations between Belarusian and Turkish scientists. The parliamentarians, he believes, can facilitate contacts between scientific and technical parks, innovative centers of Belarus and Turkey. “The matter is about new joint innovation and technology clusters, innovative manufactures, joint production of competitive high-tech goos,” Valery Voronetsky noted.

The parties discussed the ways to improve the legal framework of bilateral relations, develop cooperation in culture and education. The parties agreed that Belarus and Turkey have reached a high level of political relations. The bilateral cooperation has been steadily developing. In 2018, mutual trade made up almost $1 billion. Volkan Bozkir said that the Turkish president paid a visit to Belarus in 2016 while the Belarusian leader visited Turkey in 2019. “Both the visits have created history as the first visits at such level and have become a turning point in bilateral relations,” the Turkish MP said.

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