OREANDA-NEWS. October 19, 2009. Belarus intends to promote humanitarian, scientific, and technical cooperation with Vietnam, said Belarus Vice Premier Andrei Kobyakov as he met with Vietnam Vice Premier Hoang Trung Hai, reported the Official website government.by.

“Great prospects of cooperation are open before our countries. Views of Belarus and Vietnam coincide on a large number of things on the international agenda,” remarked Andrei Kobyakov. He underlined that the two countries had reached considerable success in scientific and technical cooperation.

Yet Andrei Kobyakov believes that cooperation between provinces should be stepped up in order to improve the effectiveness of joint work. On 15 October the two countries are supposed to sign an intergovernmental agreement on principles of cooperation between local government agencies of Belarus and Vietnam.

In order to ensure uninterrupted operation as part of the bilateral agreements there are also plans to sign an agreement on cooperation between the central banks of the two countries.

During the present visit the sides intend to discuss the implementation of the agreements reached during the visit of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to Vietnam in 2008. The Vietnam Vice Premier remarked that trade and economic relations between the two countries as well as investment ones, in particular, investment relations in industry and agriculture, are lagging behind the political cooperation. Ways to advance them should be outlined in the near future.

Vietnam is a traditional trade partner of Belarus in Asia. The two sides work to promote economic contacts in line with Belarus-Vietnam economic cooperation program for 2009-2010. The document was signed by representatives of the national parts of the Belarusian-Vietnamese intergovernmental commission for trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation in November 2008.

In January-August 2009 Belarus-Vietnam trade totaled US47 million. Belarus’ export to Vietnam amounted to US 28.6 million, import — US 18.4 million. Over the eight months the export to Vietnam grew by 23.2% (without potash fertilizers).

Belarus’ major exports to Vietnam are potash fertilizers, tractors, rock haulers, spare parts for automobile and tractors, special purpose articles, tires, bearings. Vietnam is a major market for BelAZ and MTZ.

This year the Kristall company, Belalco, Minsk Sparkling Wines Plant, and the Kletsk dairy factory have started exporting their products to Vietnam.

Belarus imports from Vietnam such products as natural rubber, seafood, rice, nuts, apparel, processed tropical fruits, tea, spices, and coffee.