Azerbaijan-Belarus cooperation discussed in Minsk

/By AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

The 9th session of the intergovernmental commission attended by Vladimir Semashko, the deputy prime minister of Belarus and Yaqub Eyyubov, the Azerbaijani first deputy prime minister was held in Minsk on March 10.

The meeting discussed cooperation developments in between Belarus and Azerbaijan for the next five years.

Addressing the event, Semashko noted that according to the statistics, the trade turnover between the two countries had increased by five times during last four years.

“I consider this meeting as a steppingstone for the coming visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Belarus in November-December 2015. By then we must have some results,” Semashko said.

"Only in 2014, which was highly challenging economically for both countries, growth extended by 13.9 percent," he noted.

Eyyubov, for his part, hailed significant contributions of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to the strengthening of the partnership between the two countries. “Belarus is progressing, strengthening its political, economic and cultural perspectives”, he stressed.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the parties signed a contract of cooperation in the petrochemical complex.

“We wish to welcome competent businessmen to Belarus and examine possible investments in the refinery, petrochemical complex,” Semashko said.

Prior to the event, Eyyubov met with President Lukashenko , who voiced his country’s readiness to cooperate with Azerbaijan in all avenues.

“We trust your country and leadership. We are ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan in all avenues. There are absolutely no closed topics,” the president stressed.

The president also noted that he has no concern when it comes to cooperating with Azerbaijan. "We are ready to set up our companies there. We are interested in your investments in the country and will provide absolute guarantees to you,” Lukashenko remarked.

According to the Belarusian government, Belarus-Azerbaijan mutual trade totaled $330.8 million in 2014.

Belarus' main exports include products of wood working, mechanical engineering, foodstuffs, medications, ferrous metals and glassware. Azerbaijan's exports comprise oil products, hydrocarbons, juices, agricultural products, aluminum goods.

Currently the two countries are implementing the long-term social and economic cooperation program through 2015. Belarus has been implementing projects in logistics, public catering, and trade with a total amount of Azerbaijani investment of over $20 million. Minsk and Baku operate regular flights.