I.Klebanov, S.Sidorsky and P.Chernov at the stand of Karelia
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On May, 15-16 the delegation of the Government of the Republic of Karelia as a part of the delegation of Northwest Federal District under the leadership of the Plenipotentiary of the President of the Russian Federation in the Northwest Federal District Ilya Klebanov has visited the capital of Byelorussia the city of Minsk.
The main objective of the visit was participation in carrying out of the Days of the Northwest Federal District of Russia in Belarus within the scope of which Business and Investment Opportunities of the Northwest of Russia conference took place along with presentation of subjects of the Northwest Federal District at the Belarus industrial forum.
L.Sovershayeva, L.Beluga, P.Chernov, etc. at the stand of Petrozavodskmash
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The Karelian delegation was headed by the Prime Minister of the Government of the RK Pavel Chernov. The delegation included the assistant to the Prime Minister of the Government of the RK Anatoly Markov, the Minister of Industry and Natural Resources of the RK Sergey Denisov and the Chairman of the State Committee on Reforming Housing and Communal Services Vladimir Koryagin. Also the Petrozavodskmash Close Corporation Director General Leonid Beluga, the Karellesprom Forestry Industrial Complex, Inc., Director General Nikolay Bobko and representatives of other industrial enterprises of the republic have taken part in Days of the Northwest Federal District in Belarus.
In Minsk heads of the delegation were received by the President of Byelorussia Alexander Lukashenko, and also negotiations in the Ministries of Transport, Trade, Agriculture and Industry of Belarus took place.
During the negotiations
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Opening the Business and investment opportunities of Northwest of Russia conference that was the main event of the visit, Ilya Klebanov has told, that today there are all political and economic conditions for the further integration of Russia and Byelorussia. Between the states there operates more than 120 interstate and intergovernmental contracts and agreements. The main accent in cooperation is creation of a uniform economic space. During several years macroeconomic parameters of Belarus and Russia have been approaching, which sharply expands potential for cooperation. Russia remains the largest trading partner for Belarus. Commodity circulation between the countries in 2005 has made $15,8 billion. The trade turnover between the Northwest Federal District and Byelorussia exceeds one and a half billion dollars. Today all the 11 subjects of the District cooperate with Belarus.
Pavel Chernov speaks
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Speaking at the presentation of Karelia in Minsk, the Prime Minister of the Government of the RK Pavel Chernov has noted, that Byelorussia and the Republic of Karelia are associated by close trade, economic and cultural relations. The legal base of mutual cooperation derives from the Agreement on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Karelia and the Government of Byelorussia, signed in 1999. The volume of mutual trade in last years has been growing dynamically, in 2002-2005 the foreign trade turnover has increased more than 5 times and in 2005 has made $27 million. Growth is caused by increase in volumes of both export, and import deliveries. Our republic exports to Belarus pulp-and-paper and machine-building production, tractors, raw aluminium, building and finishing materials made of stone. In turn, supersize cars, road equipment, trunks, goods of consumer purpose and foodstuffs are imported from Byelorussia to Karelia.
Prospects of economic cooperation between Karelia and Belarus are related to, first of all, the large order at Petrozavodskmash, Close Corporation for manufacturing paper-making equipment for pulp-and-paper combine in the Belarus town of Shklov. Also opportunities of joint development of deposits of peat in Karelia with application of Belarus technologies and equipment, adjustment of industrial cooperation between the enterprises of Byelorussia and the Republic of Karelia are considered.
During a trip to Minsk a separate meeting between the Prime Minister of Byelorussia Sergey Sidorsky and the Prime Minister of the Government of Karelia Pavel Chernov took place. During negotiations final terms of delivery of Petrozavodskmash's equipment to Belarus have been designated. The parties have agreed to consider the Shklov project, which cost made about $36 million, as a pilot project. In case of successful performance of the order, the Petrozavodskmash factory will be involved in reequipment of Svetlogorsk Pulp and Paper Plant, deliveries of equipment for Belarus petrochemical enterprises Mozelsky Oil-Refining Plant, Naftan, Inc., and Polimir, Inc.
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