Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 5 October (BelTA) – Cultural values have made the basis in the development of the Belarusian-Ecuadorian relations, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ecuador to Belarus Carlos Larrea Davila told BelTA.

“The Ecuadorian embassy has been operating in Belarus for almost three years. We have strong cultural ties, and the cultural values make a robust basis for the further development of the relations in all other areas,” said the diplomat.

He cited the example of the Friendship of Peoples concert that took place in Minsk on 4 October. The event has become a traditional bilateral cultural project. This time the concert, which united virtuosos of academic music from the two countries, celebrated the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil.

The two states have been developing cooperation in other areas as well. “The two countries have signed contracts on seismic survey and geologic exploration and have already implemented a number of projects. Apart from that, we are currently in talks with the Education Ministry on strengthening cooperation in the area,” the ambassador said.

The two countries are set to expand cooperation. Thus, the intergovernmental agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income and on property came in force in August 2017. The document is aimed at regulating tax relations between Belarus and Ecuador and assisting the development of the bilateral trade and economic cooperation on mutually beneficial terms.

The agreement will help add impetus to industrial cooperation, Carlos Larrea Davila said. “In order to set up joint companies the two countries need to understand each other’s regulatory system,” he said.