Armenia and Belarus to Deepen Cooperation in Various Spheres

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian-Belarusian business-forum kicked off today in Yerevan. The forum is organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Armenia in association with the Embassy of Belarus to Armenia.

Stepan Sukharenko, ambassador of Belarus to Armenia, underscored the importance of the business forum and mentioned that the level of the Armenian-Belarusian trade-economic relations is gradually reaching the level of the political dialogue. He said that because of the last year’s crisis, the trade circulation between the two states was decreased by 1.5 %; however the growth of the 10 months of 2010 against the same period of 2009 made 75%.

Stepan Sukharenko stressed the fact that the branches of Armenia’s economy are being diversified and cooperation in new spheres becomes available. According to Vasili Romanov – head of the Belarusian business delegation, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Belarus – Armenia is the 9th country for Belarus with the volume of trade circulation. He says this result does not correspond to the great potential that the two states have.

According to Martin Sargsyan, chairman of the RA Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the business forum will transmit a new impetus to the cooperation between the two states. He informed that the volume of exportation from Armenia to Belarus made 3 million USD, and importation from Belarus to Armenia– 26 million 306.4 thousand USD. Vasili Romanov and Martin Sargsyan said they are sure that corresponding steps will be undertaken for increasing the trade circulation volume.

During the forum some information and data on the current state of the economy and investment potential of Armenia were presented to the Belarusian businessmen. It is intended that within the framework of the four-day visit the Belarusian delegation will visit the RA Economy Ministry, Yerevan Municipality, Armenian- Belarusian joint enterprises and will meet with Armenian businessmen. The next Armenian-Belarusian business-forum is intended to be held in Belarus.