OREANDA-NEWS. April 21, 2008. Belarus and the Nizhniy Novgorod oblast reached a higher level in the mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation, Andrei Kobyakov, the Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, stated at the fourth session of the Business Cooperation Council of Belarus and the Nizhniy Novgorod oblast in Mogilev, reported the Official website www.government.by.

The two sides set up joint ventures, expand cooperation between companies, strengthen collaboration at the interregional level, Andrei Kobyakov said. In 2007, the trade between Belarus and the Nizhniy Novgorod oblast grew 1,4 times up to \\$600 million.

According to him, there is a need of new relations and non-standard approaches to preserve high trade growth. Andrei Kobyakov cited as an example the companies Mogilevliftmash and Transenergo of the joint venture Nizhegorodliftmash (the town of Kstovo, the Nizhniy Novgorod oblast). The company has already produced more than 20 new lifts.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus considers necessary to evolve interaction between the companies of Belarus and the Nizhniy Novgorod oblast in modernization of partner companies and expansion and strengthening of twinned links between the towns and regions. “We count that the creation of trade logistics centers, retail centers, a merchandise network of the Belarusian companies in the Nizhniy Novgorod oblast will contribute to the full provision of the region’s market as well as the markets of the neighbouring regions of the Russian Federation,” the Vice-Premier underlined.

Andrei Kobyakov noted that alongside economy the two sides develop close cooperation in the area of exhibition activity, culture, education, sports and tourism.

“Direct interaction between the legislative power based on the agreement on cooperation signed by the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus and the Legislative Assembly of the Nizhniy Novgorod oblast on April 21 will become another form of our cooperation,” Andrei Kobyakov added.