TODAY.AZ / Politics

Azerbaijan, Belarus to bring their markets closer

01 December 2015 [15:47] - TODAY.AZ

/By AzerNews/

By Aynur Karimova

The global economy is currently experiencing a difficult period, and in this regard the main thing for each country is to look for all possible ways to revive the economy and to get out of this situation with minimal losses.

Resource-rich countries are more vulnerable to shocks such as the decline in energy prices. Therefore, Azerbaijan began to look for a new model of economic development, adapted to the new conditions. Today, the country makes an emphasis on the development of non-oil sector, the effectiveness of which will increase by involving additional investments and accessing new markets.

Belarus could become one of these markets, given the strong ties between the two countries in political and economic terms. President Ilham Aliyev's one-day official visit to Belarus (November 28) was of significant importance for negotiating this issue.

Today one can say with no doubt that Azerbaijan and Belarus enjoy good relations, which would become an example of bright cooperation for each country.

"There are not any restrictions in the issues of our cooperation with Belarus, and we see very positive dynamics, results in many areas. In 10 years of active interaction we have known the Belarusian people better, we have known their open, noble, loyal and sincere character. Believe me all these epithets are true," President Aliyev noted in a meeting with his Belarus counterpart.

The relations between the two countries are based on strong friendship that has withstood the test of years. In recent years Azerbaijan and Belarus have established a very trustful level of relations, which are developing very successfully.

"We have established a practice of annual communication at the highest level – one year in our country, the next one in yours," Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at a one-on-one meeting with President Aliyev.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan and Belarus are keen on further development of ties on all fronts.

"Given the crisis in the global economy, I think we should now focus on new ideas and directions of mutually beneficial cooperation," Lukashenko said at a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart in an expanded format. "In the current difficult situation, our states, fortunately, did not allow a significant reduction of trade. Nevertheless, time requires us to act fast and make effective decisions to boost economic cooperation, including interaction in third countries."

Azerbaijan and Belarus also have good economic relations. One of the bright examples of fruitful cooperation is the joint project on the production of Belarusian tractors MTZ and machinery of the Minsk automobile plant MZKT at the Ganja Automobile Plant of Azerbaijan. Since 2007, it has produced 6,000 "Belarus" tractors and about 3,000 cars and trailers.

Lukashenko offered Azerbaijan to assemble buses of small and medium class, passenger carriages, as well as comfortable buses produced by Belarus jointly with Switzerland for urban transportation and powered by environmentally friendly gas engines.

"I think that our participation could be useful in further improving Azerbaijan’s transport infrastructure, for example, in designing a line to supply equipment for the establishment of high-speed urban rail transport between the center of Baku and its suburbs, including comfortable travel to Heydar Aliyev Airport. There are significant reserves in the development of mutual deliveries of tobacco and cigarettes, and such relationships should be established on a long-term basis," he noted.

He also proposed to consider cooperation opportunities in the petrochemical industry, energy and agriculture, as well as to identify joint projects in the information technologies and information security fields.

One of the main achievements of President Aliyev's Belarus visit was signing of four new documents that will determine future relations of the two countries in various fields. In particular, President Aliyev and President Lukashenko signed a Joint Declaration.

Other signed documents include an agreement on Socio-Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Belarus until 2025, a protocol on Cooperation in the Field of Compulsory State Social Insurance, and an agreement on Cooperation between Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the Science Development Foundation under the Azerbaijani President and Belarus National Academy of Sciences, the Foundation for Fundamental Research of Belarus.

The joint declaration dwells upon Azerbaijani-Belarusian interaction in international organizations where they always support each other. It touches upon economic and political cooperation, cooperation in the humanitarian field, industrial production and the military-industrial fields.

"On all these issues we have established a very close relationship, a relationship based on friendship, brotherhood and mutual trust," President Aliyev said in his statement for the press.

President Aliyev said that one of the main topics of discussions was the projects that can significantly increase the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Belarus.

He also urged to pay more attention to mutual trade, in particular, the imports of products which are imported from other countries – from Belarus to Azerbaijan and from Azerbaijan to Belarus.

"The creation of joint ventures already has a good history, and the Ganja Plant is a good example of that – in a very short time, in less than a year, it has established production on the basis of Belarusian technologies. Today, this plant is an important industrial facility in Azerbaijan," he said.

President Aliyev also expressed readiness to consider establishing other enterprises using Belarusian technologies in Azerbaijan, as well as facilities to process Azerbaijani agricultural products in Belarus.

President Aliyev believes that there is a strong political base for strengthening the economic ties and cooperation among business circles of the two countries.

He invited President Lukashenko to pay an official visit to Azerbaijan next year.

"These visits are a good message to our peoples and the region. Also, from a practical point of view, they are very useful because it is during these visits that we agree plans and projects which we later implement," he noted. "We are reliable partners and value our relationship and friendship."

President Aliyev expressed confidence that the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Belarus will continue to be provided in the future.

"Belarus and Azerbaijan, as two friends, will move forward successfully," he stressed.

The Belarus-Azerbaijan mutual trade turnover totaled $330.8 million in 2014, according to the Belarusian government. This figure stood at $74.95 million in January-October 2015.

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.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/145615.html

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