Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 2 March (BelTA) – Belarus views Georgia as an important and promising partner in Transcaucasia. Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov made the statement during expanded-participation negotiations with Georgia President Giorgi Margvelashvili on 2 March, BelTA has learned.

Andrei Kobyakov said: “Belarus views Georgia as an important and promising partner in Transcaucasia. We would like to thank you for the attention paid to the advancement of mutually beneficial cooperation with Belarus.”

Belarus and Georgia work hard to advance cooperation. The intensive exchange of visits at high and top levels in the last two years and the agreements reached in various spheres confirm it. The level of relations between the two countries allows securing growth in key areas of cooperation such as production sector, agriculture, petrochemical industry, pharmaceutics, and humanitarian cooperation. “Unfortunately, the Belarusian brands MTZ, Mogilevliftmash, and MAZ, which are trying to penetrate your country’s market, waste a lot of time and effort on finding a reliable and committed partner. This is why we would be grateful for your recommendations in this regard. In turn, we invite Georgian companies to operate in Belarus,” said Andrei Kobyakov.

According to the Prime Minister, results of the year 2016 indicate that the countries are persistently moving towards accomplishing the task set by the heads of state of Belarus and Georgia in 2015 — increasing the trade turnover to at least $200 million. In 2016 Belarus-Georgia trade exceeded $73 million, 63% up from 2015. “It is a record high in the last five years,” noted the Belarusian head of government.

High-tech products represent the foundation of Belarus’ export to Georgia. The product range includes Stadler trains, trucks, agricultural machines, petrochemical and pharmaceutical products. “The joint implementation of major projects is a good opportunity to make our partnership stronger. Belarus’ participation in modernizing lift equipment in residential houses in Tbilisi and other major Georgian cities is profitable for both countries,” said Andrei Kobyakov. Mogilevliftmash is ready to implement a pilot project for modernizing lifts. Later on the experience can be spread onto the rest of Georgia.

Cooperation in building sport facilities and social ones can become a promising avenue of Belarus-Georgia partnership. There are plans to build an ice arena, a biathlon stadium, an Olympic-standard ski jumping center in Georgia soon. Belarusian design institutions and civil engineering companies are ready to implement these projects using the turn-key principle if the Georgian side is interested in it.

Georgia is interested in the Belarusian experience of planning the development of cities and regions, organizing the operation of mass transit systems and public utilities. Belarus is ready to supply the necessary machines and equipment for this project and other ones. Andrei Kobyakov said he believes that Belarus and Georgia have a considerable potential for using the infrastructure of technological clusters in order to promote joint scientific projects, develop innovation-based businesses and train IT specialists.

According to the Prime Minister, Belarus and Georgia should expand the choice of traded products. “We will be happy to sell a larger choice of merchandise in larger amounts. And we are interested in products of our Georgian partners. Many things you make are impossible to produce in Belarus due to the climatic conditions. We would be happy if we sketch out joint plans not only on simple trade but on mutual investments, too. We are ready to discuss these matters as well,” added Andrei Kobyakov.

“We are glad to welcome you in Belarus. The visit represents an additional impulse for the governments to step up efforts to fulfill instructions of our presidents and go beyond the trade turnover of $200 million,” concluded Andrei Kobyakov.