OREANDA-NEWS. On 21 August 2009 was announced, that Prime Minister of Karelia Pavel Chernov has held a working meeting with the Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Belarus in Russia Vasily Dolgolev who has come to Petrozavodsk as a chief negotiator of the Embassy of Belarus for negotiating about development of bilateral cooperation between our republics.

As Pavel Chernov has noted, for a long time Karelia and Belarus have been supporting successful trade and economic and cultural relations. In 2007-2008 annual commodity circulation between republics has reached USD 50 million, however due to consequences of the crisis this parameter has decreased, and now the parties are searching for ways to improve the situation.

According to Vasily Dolgolev, the overall objective of the Belarus delegation is to search for niches of solvent demand to escalate commodity circulation by which both Karelia, and Belarus will profit. Vasily Dolgolev has emphasized that export potentials of both republics are far from being petered out. "Cooperation is always profitable, at whatever crisis. These are new workplaces, additional budget revenues and improvement of people's lives. A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step," – the Ambassador said.

Then Pavel Chernov and Vasily Dolgolev have held a meeting with business circles of Karelia and Belarus where leading industrial and trade enterprises of both republics have were presented. As it was mentioned at the meeting, prospects of economic cooperation are, first of all, related to development of tourism, orders to Petrozavodskmash factory for modernization of equipment of pulp-and-paper and oil refining enterprises of Belarus, as well as to joint development of peat deposits in territory of Karelia with use of Belarus equipment. Besides, mutually advantageous cooperation is possible at establishing industrial cooperation between enterprises, expansion of deliveries of Belarusian Autoworks (BELAZ), Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ) and Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) machinery to Karelia, participation of Belarus in the passenger transport modernization program of Karelia, increase in supplies of Belarus foodstuffs and softgoods for Karelian market. Pavel Chernov has emphasized, that all constructive joint undertakings will receive support from the Government of Karelia.

Pavel Chernov has also told, that now the Government of Karelia has prepared the new draft protocol for bilateral agreement on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation with Belarus. Now this document has to be endorsed by the Government of Belarus.

On results of 2008 commodity circulation between Karelia and Belarus has made USD 49,4 million and in comparison with 2007 has grown by 11.8%; export has made USD 25,3 million has also grown by 20%, import has made USD 24,1 million and has grown by 4.3%.

On the official data, Belarus' supplies to Karelia are basically: pneumatical tyres, trucks, frozen pork, internal-combustion engines, cable production, concrete products and road machinery. To Belarus Karelia delivered: process equipment, newprint, tanks and capacities made of ferrous metals, paper and cardboard packing containers, natural stone materials, aluminium, ferrous metal cast products, alkaline solution, kraft paper and kraft-cardboard, tractors, and fish fillets.

Summing up the discussion, Vasily Dolgolev has called businessmen to offer specific joint projects, and has promised that the embassy of Belarus will advance them both in the Government of Belarus, and in federal authorities of Russia.