BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/06/2007

Belarus, Kazakhstan decide to increase trade to $1 bln in 2008

MINSK. June 7. KAZINFORM. Belarus and Kazakhstan decided to increase trade turnover to one billion dollars in 2008, thus trebling it from the 2006 level.

This task was set forth during the 4th meeting of the Belarusian-Kazakhstani inter-governmental commission on trade and economic cooperation in Minsk on Wednesday.

It is planned that this aim will be reached, first of all, by expanding and developing bilateral contacts, Belarusian co-chairman of the commission, Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Bambiza said.

"Today we should go from simple export of goods to the joint production of those goods," the Belarusian vice-premier told, Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.

"We have been convinced that Belarusian machinery is as good as the European one," head of the Kazakhstani delegation, Emergencies Minister Viktor Khrapunov added.

In his words, Kazakhstan is seeking to create joint ventures for manufacturing Belarusian machinery.

During the meeting of the commission, the parties paid specific attention to the delivery to and transit via Belarus of electricity and oil from Kazakhstan.

"If Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia are able to solve all issues on the setting up of the Eurasian Economic Space, many problems will go away themselves," Khrapunov said, adding, "In this case, electricity and oil from Kazakhstan may be transported to Belarus without any limitations."

With this in mind, Bambiza said the first important step forward has already been taken. Late in May, some countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, including Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia, singed an agreement on the establishment of a common electrical power market.

Source:

http://www.inform.kz/showarticle.php?lang=eng&id=152326