Belarus confirms its readiness for setting up the EurAsEC Customs Union and keeps to the previously stated positions, Belarus prime minister Sergei Sidorskiy stated in Minsk today, as he met with EurAsEC secretary general Grigoriy Rapota. Sergei Sidorskiy noted, 18 issues are being prepared for the next meeting of EurAsEC heads of government. The meeting is scheduled to take place in Astana in April. The recent session of the EurAsEC Integration Commission showed, several tasks had not been...

The Belarusian government has set up a working party to create the Belarusian-Russian gas transportation joint venture. The decision is laid down by the prime minister’s resolution No. 327 dated by March 15, 2007, BelTA learnt from representatives of the Council of Ministers Office. The document authorises the working party to conduct negotiations with the Russian side about the creation of the gas transportation joint venture, including negotiations on the agreement meant to regulate the...

Moscow remains a leading Russian region in the trade turnover with Belarus. In 2006, the turnover with the Russian capital accounted for 18.8% of the total Belarusian turnover with Russia, exports to Moscow accounted for 33.8% of Belarusian exports to the Russian Federation, BelTA learnt in the department for Russian regions of the Belarusian foreign ministry. The trade turnover between Belarus and Moscow last year reached $3,7 billion with exports totaling $2,3 billion (to compare:...

In February 2007, the consumer price index in Belarus amounted to 102.6% as against December 2006. In comparison with January 2007 the prices in February 2007 went up by 0.8%, BelTA learnt from the ministry of statistics and analysis. In January-February 2006 the inflation in Belarus stood at 1.5%. Since early this year the monthly average inflation has totalled 1.3% with this year’s target set at 0.5-0.6%. Let us remind you, in line with the 2007 major national monetary management...

Belarus and the United Arab Emirates have confirmed at the highest level their readiness to promote bilateral cooperation in many spheres. This is the main result of the March 4-6 visit of president of this country Alexander Lukashenko to the UAE, BelTA was told in the presidential press service. On March 5, the Belarusian leader met with president of the United Arab Emirates, ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the...

On March 5, president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko will hold negotiations with the UAE top officials. As BelTA was told in the presidential press service, Alexander Lukashenko will meet with president of the United Arab Emirates, ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Alexander Lukashenko and Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan are planned to discuss issues on promoting bilateral cooperation, first of all in the trade and investment spheres. On the same day Alexander...

Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko has charged the new head of Minsk Automobile Plant with boosting the company’s export, expanding the sales area and decreasing the production costs. Today the head of state approved the appointment of Nikolai Kosten as director general of Production Corporation BelavtoMAZ and director general of Minsk Automobile Plant. Asked by a BelTA reporter, Nikolai Kosten informed the press, effective measures are needed to prevent the rising energy prices from...

In 2007, Belarus is quite capable of generating foreign trade surplus, premier of Belarus Sergei Sidorskiy told reporters today. One of the targets for Belarus this year is to make sure that the growth in its exports is 5% ahead of that in its imports. According to the premier, the government approved a special program to that end. The measures under the program are expected to help the country meet the target “although it will be difficult”, he added. The country’s economic...

The attraction of foreign investments in the Belarusian economy was discussed during a meeting of Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko with SB Telecom chairman of the board Ead Samawi on February 27. The Belarusian head of state said he thinks highly of the investment cooperation with this company. In his words, SB Telecom’s investments in Belarus amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. Alexander Lukashenko expressed gratitude to Ead Samawi for the charity aid the company has been...

Russia and Belarus take steps to ensure joint defense of the Union State aerospace, Boris Gryzlov, the Chairman of the State Duma of Russia, said today at the 5th session of the permanent workshop of the of the Belarus-Russia Union State Parliamentary Assembly in Pskov. This is a promising avenue of the Russian-Belarusian military-technical cooperation, he said. Belarus and Russia should strengthen their regional anti-aircraft defense system and pursue a single border policy, he said when...