BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

11/08/2006

Iran touts new auto plant in Belarus

MINSK, Belarus (AFX) - Iran's industry minister inaugurated a new assembly plant for Iranian-designed cars in Belarus on Friday, wrapping up a four-day visit to this ex-Soviet nation and pledging to further bolster ties.

Ali Reza Tahmasebi said the plant's opening was 'another step toward the strengthening of bilateral cooperation.'

The plant will assemble up to 1,000 Iranian-designed 'Samands' -- a model based on old French Peugeot designs -- by year-end, and up to 6,000 by next year.

Earlier this week, Tahmasebi invited Belarus' authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko to travel to Tehran to meet with Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

A pariah in the West for quashing dissent and for allegedly rigging his latest re-election in March, Lukashenko has sought to develop ties with nations that have strained relations with the West.

Last month, he played host to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a frequent and harsh critic of the United States.

During a meeting with Belarusian parliament speaker on Thursday, Tahmasebi said that the Iranian government 'intends to develop relations with friendly nations, with whom it shares common positions on all international issues.'

Bilateral trade stood at a modest $40 million (31.3 million euros) last year, and Belarusian officials said they hoped to triple it.

'Belarus intends to expand cooperation with Iran in the field of machine-building,' Belarusian Industry Minister Anatoly Rusetsky said during the plant's opening Friday.

Source:

http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=35450660252133