BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/05/2008

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Tours Poland, Latvia, Belarus

BISHKEK, May 21 Asia Pulse - The Kyrgyz Prime Minister Igor Chudinov will pay official visit to Poland, Latvia and Belarus between May 20-22, 2008.

The visit pursues strengthening of bilateral economic and cultural cooperation.

Poland will be the first country to be visited by the Kyrgyz delegation on the three-day itinerary.

The plans of the Prime Minister include meeting with executives of the state, participation in the Business Forum and visiting Trade Exchange, Seym and Senate.

Aferward, Mr Chudinov will hold negotiations with the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Foreign trade turnover between Poland and Kyrgyzstan made up $US18.6 million with a negative balance for Kyrgyzstan in 2007. Import volume from Poland totals $US16.9 million and includes furniture, woodwork, rubber and metal articles, paper and cardboard, pharmaceuticals, sugar, detergents, perfumes and cosmetics. The export volume is shaped by tobacco, vegetables and fruit, automotive type radiator and hand tools for agriculture.

Kyrgyzstan seeks to lure polish investors as the country has set up new favorable and liberal economic regime. The official Bishkek underlines closeness to the Chinese market and abundance of free economic zones.

The Kyrgyz delegation chaired by Mr Chudinov will land in Riga on May 21. The premier will visit Baltic International Bank at first.

The following day he will participate in the Business Forum and hold talks with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia Ivars Godmanis in private and extended formats.

The series of high-level meetings will conclude in talks with Valdis Zatlers, President of Latvia.

Kyrgyz-Latvian trade turnover made up $US21.7 million in 2007 - 4.8 times more than in 2006.

Import turnover between the countries increased by 6 times to outstrip $14.7 mln. Export volume lift up by 3.5 times to hit $US7 million. Export structure include petrochemicals (85 per cent of the total export to Latvia), ginned cotton (7.7 per cent), waste and scraps.

Kyrgyz delegation will arrive in Minsk on May 22. Kyrgyzstan and Belarus have been long linked by amicable and trustworthy relations. Nevertheless, the relations need further development and solidification. Kyrgyzstan is interested in agricultural equipment import.

(TCA)

Source:

http://au.biz.yahoo.com/080521/17/1r311.html

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