BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

17/07/2006

Official visit to Belarus July 22-24 at invitation of President Lukashenko

A Venezuela government delegation led by the country's President Hugo Chavez will pay an official visit to Belarus on July 22-24, the press service of the Belarusian foreign ministry told BelTA.

* The visit was initiated by an invitation of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. The leaders of the two countries have never met before.

For the last seven years Belarus' export to Venezuela has been limited to potassium fertilizers. Belarus' import of tobacco raw stock, spare parts and equipment for automobiles and tractors was insignificant.

* Last year's trade turnover went up by 1.3% up on 2004 to make US$15.6 million. The potassium fertilizer supplies to Venezuela shrank by 80% to a total of $8.5 million (54.4%of the total).

Belarus started exporting new goods: nitrogen-bearing heterocyclic compounds and intermediates made of carbon steel. Belarus imported only automobile parts and equipment.

In January-April 2006 Belarus exported nothing to Venezuela and imported only automobile components and equipment as well as tires and fruits from the country.

Source:

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=63578