BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

12/01/2008

Potential volume of Azerbaijan-Belarus trade turnover estimated in $500 million

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The Azerbaijan-Belarus Business Forum has revealed discontent of the Byelorussian party on the occasion of two countries' low trade turnover.

Niazi Safarov, deputy minister of economic development of Azerbaijan, said that in 2006 trade turnover totaled $20 million.

"For the first 7 months of 2007 our countries' trade turnover was $60 million. We are dissatisfied with such a low level as there is great potential of partnership between Azerbaijan and Belarus, but tendency of growth allows forecasting this volume increase in the near future," Safarov said.

Nikolay Patskevich, Byelorussian ambassador to Azerbaijan, said that Belarus expects expansion of trade and economic relations with Azerbaijan.

"We intend to sign by 10 agreements with Azerbaijan annually in different sectors. Our states' trade turnover is estimated in $500 million, and $200 million of them should cover good group," Patskevich said.

He added that Belarus is ready to open a way to Baltic countries and Poland for Azerbaijani entrepreneurs.

Source:

http://abc.az/cgi-bin/wnews_one.cgi?nid=20427&lang=eng