BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

04/03/2007

Belarussian president to start official visit to United Arab Emirates

MINSK, March 4 (Itar-Tass) -- Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko will leave for an official visit to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, the presidential press service said, adding that the Belarussian leader plans to meet with UAE senior officials, and visit Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The visit is aimed at developing bilateral relations in the trade, economic and political areas, the press service said. It is expected that a package of bilateral agreement will be signed during the visit.

Development of cooperation with the UAE is one of the priority spheres of the Belarussian foreign policy in the Middle East, the press service said, stressing that the United Arab Emirates is the Belarussian key trade partner among the Arab countries of the Gulf.

Last year's bilateral trade amounted to 26.1 million U.S. dollars. Belarussian export prevailed in the structure of the bilateral trade.

Belarus mainly exports machinery, petroleum products, bearings, tires, and fiberglass.

Lukashenko has already visited the United Arab Emirates. The first visit was paid in March 2000.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11304763&PageNum=0