Business news

MINSK, 21 July (BelTA) – There is a need for a considerable increase in trade between Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko said as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kyrgyzstan to Belarus Kubanychbek Omuraliev on 21 July, BelTA informs.

Vladimir Andreichenko congratulated Kubanychbek Omuraliev on his appointment as Ambassador and expressed confidence that his rich experience in diplomacy would promote the expansion of friendly relations between the two countries. According to the Speaker, Belarus attaches big attention to cooperation with Kyrgyzstan. In late June the House of Representatives ratified the law on Kyrgyzstan’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union. The document was approved by the Council of the Republic and signed by the President. “This work has been done during Belarus’ chairmanship in the Eurasian Economic Union. I think that joining the agreement opens big prospects, including for Kyrgyzstan,” he said.

According to the Speaker, the EEU member states account for about 40% of Kyrgyzstan’s export. However, the trade and economic relations between Belarus and Kyrgyzstan has been on a decline in the recent years. In this respect, according to Vladimir Andreichenko, one of the main goals for MPs and Ambassadors of the two countries is to increase trade and take it at least to the level of 2011 when it stood at $230 million. “I believe this figures are not a limit for us as well,” he said.

According to the Chairman of the House of Representatives, the prospects are good not only for the merchandise trade but also for the establishment of assembly facilities. The countries do have such an experience: there is one plant which assembles Minsk tractors in Kyrgyzstan, and it operates well. "We are ready to go further. You know Belarus’ capabilities," said the Speaker.

Vladimir Andreichenko is convinced that MPs should be more involved in the effort to expand the cooperation between the two states, including the MPs who participate in the work of the intergovernmental commission (resumed work in 2015 after a long hiatus). The National Assembly of Belarus has a working group on cooperation with the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan, and the Kyrgyz Parliament has formed a parliamentary friendship group with Belarus. In addition, there is the Business Cooperation Council which is expected to generate different kind of initiatives for exhibitions, trade fairs, business forums, business matchmaking events, etc.

For his part, Kubanychbek Omuraliev thanked the Belarusian side for the warm welcome and noted the need to intensify the cooperation between Belarus and Kyrgyzstan on all fronts. In addition to the work in the Eurasian Economic Union, the Kyrgyzstan Ambassador expressed hope that the interaction of Belarus with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will intensify as its status in the organization has been upgraded to the one of observer.