BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
28/04/2010
Belarus, Germany step up cooperation
MINSK - BelTA
Belarus and the German federal state of Brandenburg intend to cooperate on the use of renewable energy and transport logistics, as the Prime Minister of Belarus, Sergei Sidorsky, and Brandenburg's Prime Minister Mathias Platzeck signed the respective agreements on Wednesday, the Belarusian Telegraph agency, BelTA, reported.
On Wednesday Belarus and the Brandenburg were set to sign two joint declarations of intent on the use of renewable energy, logistics and economic cooperation. "These issues are of current importance for Belarus and are in sync with the strategy of the Belarusian Government. I would like to see the documents that we will discuss today become a basis for our further interaction. I think today's meeting will be an impetus for concrete projects," Sergei Sidorsky said.
The Belarusian prime minister also stressed that the bilateral meetings have become regular. The first meeting in 2007 highlighted general issues of cooperation between Belarus and Brandenburg, in 2009 the sides touched upon the concrete projects, exchanged visits and got familiar with each other's potential.
Platzeck, in response, expressed his joy of the new agreement.
"I am happy that the cooperation has been developing in such a way that we are discussing concrete projects today. The documents that are due to be signed today will be a solid basis for future projects." He also praised the negotiations between Belarusian and German businessmen, and said that the businessmen of Brandenburg are interested in cooperation.
The German delegation includes representatives of Brandenburg business community who work in such areas as alternative power engineering, agricultural processing and food manufacturing, information technologies and telecommunications, waste utilization, wholesale trade in fresh vegetables and fruits.
Brandenburg is one of Germany's federal lands with which Belarus cooperates most intensively in several areas. In 2009 Brandenburg-Belarus trade totaled $43.4 million, with Belarus' export as high as $7.5 million and $35.9 million in imports.
In 2009 Belarus' major exports were woodworking industry products, textile, metal products, and machines. From Brandenburg Belarus imported food, timber products, metal, chemical and pharmaceutical products, electric equipment, machines.
Source:
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