OREANDA-NEWS. April 21, 2009. The Moscow oblast remains one of the key partners of Belarus in the Russian Federation, Belarusian Vice Premier Andrei Kobyakov noted during a two-day session of the working group on cooperation of Belarus and the Moscow oblast. The session opened in the town of Serpukhov (Moscow oblast), reported the Official website government.by.

Unfortunately, the crisis has an impact on the cooperation of Belarus and the Moscow oblast, Andrei Kobyakov noted. So, it is necessary to adopt the urgent measures to fight against it, the official added.

According to the Vice Premier, the agenda of the session includes the issues which are aimed at taking the anti-crisis measures. The sides intend to consider the development of cooperation ties between companies of Belarus and the Moscow oblast, discuss the implementation of the joint programme on sci-tech and innovation cooperation development in 2008-2009, the cooperation in agro-industrial sector, construction, small-scale business, exhibition and fair activity.

According to him, the absence of the equal conditions for the access of economic entities of Belarus and Russia to the state support had an impact on the development of crisis phenomena in the cooperation between Belarus and the Moscow region. In particular, it concerns the work of the Belarusian-Russian joint ventures in the Moscow oblast. “We understand that the sides would like to protect their own producers. At the same time, we should remember that the support of the Belarusian-Russian joint productions is the support of the domestic producer as well,” the Vice Premier underscored.

One of the methods to fight against crisis is to set up logistics centres, Andrei Kobyakov noted. According to him, three Belarusian logistics centres are expected to be set up in the Moscow oblast. Owing to the centres, the Russian side will develop infrastructure, create new working places and the Belarusian side will be able to boost its export supplies, Andrei Kobyakov noted.
The session also intends to discuss the draft of the joint programme on trade, economic, sci-tech and cultural cooperation of Belarus and the Moscow oblast for 2010-2012. “It will be aimed at developing the cooperation in the new economic conditions,” the Vice Premier underscored. According to him, the programme is expected to be adopted during a visit of Moscow Oblast Governor Boris Gromov to Belarus in September this year.

Belarus and the Moscow oblast will counteract the crisis with more supplies of Belarusian products, Moscow Oblast Vice Governor Vasily Gromov said at a session of the working group for cooperation between Belarus and the Moscow oblast. Vasily Gromov remarked, at present the sides are working to increase supplies of Belarusian automobiles, tractors, agricultural and road machines as well as food.

In 2008 the trade between Belarus and the Moscow oblast totalled US2.7 billion, 33.3% up on the year. However, the Vice Governor said, consequences of the global financial crisis became evident early this year. In January-February 2009 the mutual trade shrank by 38% in comparison with the same period of last year.

According to Vasily Gromov, in view of the crisis more attention should be paid to cooperation and creation of joint manufacturing facilities. He believes, investment cooperation should be enhanced.

The Moscow oblast is initiating the foundation of enterprises in the region to assemble Belarusian agricultural machines. The proposal was put forward by Moscow Oblast Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Igor Zharov. Igor Zharov explained the need to set up the assembling enterprises fast by Russia’s ban on importing agricultural machines. Meanwhile, the federal budget provides subsidies to regions for buying Russian machines. Belarusian machines are not eligible. However, the Moscow oblast needs the machines and suggests resolving the problem via the joint ventures.

At the session Belarus Vice Premier Andrei Kobyakov gave an instruction to agree the list of Belarusian machines, which may be produced in the Moscow region, within the next few days.

Belarus and the Moscow oblast intend to keep the trade turnover above the figure registered in 2008 in crisis conditions, Belarus Vice Premier Andrei Kobyakov told media after a plenary session of the working group in charge of promoting cooperation between Belarus and the Moscow oblast. Andrei Kobyakov reminded, last year the mutual trade hit a record high of US2.7 billion. Hard work was put into reaching the figure. It does not include such things as oil and gas, noted the Vice Premier.

In his opinion, promotion of manufacturing cooperation should become the key area. “We said that Belarusian companies should be more active in getting in touch with the Moscow oblast, should set up assembly enterprises,” said Andrei Kobyakov. He added economic egoism is out of the question, such projects should be mutually beneficial.

Moscow Oblast Vice Governor Vasily Gromov was also wary in assessing prospects of the bilateral trade. There are no optimistic forecasts about whether the trade will grow, he said. The beginning of the year demonstrated that crisis phenomena are developing faster. Yet he is convinced that pursuing a wise economic policy the sides will be able to preserve last year’s level of trade. Besides, Vasily Gromov remarked the larger part of exports from Belarus is food, which is always in demand, including crisis times.

The Belarusian and Russian sides have found several solutions for carrying out the joint anticrisis plan the prime ministers of the two countries signed in February 2009, Belarus Vice Premier Andrei Kobyakov told media. In particular, he said that an order issued by the Russian Economic Development Ministry is undergoing registration procedures. The order gives Belarusian goods the status of Russian ones together with accompanying preferences.

According to Andrei Kobyakov, consequent steps required for implementing the anticrisis plan should be worked out by the end of April. They will be discussed at the forthcoming negotiations with the Russian government on April 22.

He also remarked that the anticrisis plan outlined major areas while specific actions should be worked out by ministries and agencies, however, conflicts of interests emerge often at this level. “Simple solutions don’t exist,” Andrei Kobyakov is convinced. “It should be understood that decisions taken by our partners are largely determined by the economic situation”.