BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

12/02/2007

Iran, Belarus Boost Cooperation

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iran's Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, in a meeting with the Chairman of Belarus National Bank in Minsk on Sunday, called for increased cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, Dawood Danesh Ja'fari noted Iran's economic potentials, and voiced Tehran's preparedness to welcome Belarusian investors, saying that considering the economic capabilities and potentials available in Iran and Belarus, the two states can promote their economic ties through identifying possibilities on the other side.

The minister further stated that Tehran and Minsk enjoy the possibilities required for enhancing relations and cooperation, and proposed that the two sides exchange a list of products and services which can vie with the products of the other country.

He also stated Iran's readiness for cooperation in the energy sector and investment in profitable fields in Belarus.

For his part, Chairman of Belarus National Bank pointed to his country's dire need in energy, and described Iran as one of the countries with giant energy reserves and a reliable source for cooperation in the said sector.

He further named increasing price of gas imports as one of the economic problems of Belarus, and expressed the hope that his country's problems would be resolved through cooperation with other states, including Iran.

Presenting some statistical figures about the latest conditions of foreign investments in his country, Petr Prokopovich said that foreign investments in Belarus have undergone 30% of growth in 2006 and that the figure is expected to keep up its increasing trend in future.

He also invited Iranian investors and companies to conduct business activities in the different areas of petrochemicals, energy, power plant construction, housing, machine and auto manufacturing.

The official described assembly of Iran's Samand passenger car by Iran-Khordo Company in his country as among successful cases of Iran-Belarus cooperation, and voiced Minsk's enthusiasm for channeling more tourists to Iran than other tourist resorts which he said are Turkey, Cyprus and Thailand.

Source:

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8511230373