BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

04/04/2008

Vietnam expects new stage in relations with Belarus: President

VietNamNet Bridge - President Nguyen Minh Triet says he believes the upcoming Vietnam visit by Belorussian President A. Lukashenko will begin a new stage of development in the two countries' friendly and comprehensive cooperation, particularly in economics and commerce.

In an interview given to Belarus television on April 3, President Triet said the two countries' ties were a continuation of the fine relationship between Vietnam and the former Soviet Union, being fostered and growing with time on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

In recent years, bilateral economic and commercial ties have seen strong development with the trade turnover last year increasing 1.5 times over the figure of 2006.

Belorussian businesses have been conducting projects in Vietnam, including an automobile plant, an electronic-chip designing centre, and an oil and gas exploration and mining project.

"The two countries at first should facilitate direct contacts between their businesses and localities to intensify investment, grant prioritised quotas to commodities that they have advantages, in a bid to boost the bilateral economic and trade ties," the President said.

He suggested to increase the trading of certain items between the two countries, including maritime and wooden products, processed fruits and vegetables, cashew nuts and pepper from Vietnam, and lorry, mining equipment, fertilisers from Belarus.

He also said the Vietnam and Belarus should pay attention to dealing with difficulties in transportation and payment methods between businesses of the two countries.

Source:

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/politics/2008/04/776731/

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