OREANDA-NEWS. May 18, 2010. Belarus is ready to increase the deliveries of potash fertilizers to Vietnam up to 300,000 tonnes, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky said as he met with Vietnam President Nguyen Minh Triet, reported the Official website government.by.

 “We are ready to considerably increase the shipments of potash fertilizers to the Vietnamese market and bring the exports to the tune of 300,000 tonnes next year,” Sergei Sidorsky said.

The President of Vietnam met with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. The leaders held an open dialogue. The Government of Belarus was commissioned with concrete instructions and will fulfill the bilateral agreements. First of all, they pertain to the cooperation in the machine-building industry.

“We are happy about the successful operation of the assembly production of MAZ vehicles in Vietnam. We hope that today’s talks will lay a good foundation for Minsk Engine Works that seeks to take part in Vietnam’s state program to replace gasoline engines with diesel engines,” the Premier said. He assured the Vietnamese side that the work will be done on the highest level and that the Vietnamese army and industry will be supplied with quality engines.

Sergei Sidorsky reminded that Minsk will host a Belarus-Vietnam industrial forum. The forum will feature a variety of cooperation proposals. This pertains to the supplies of Belarus tractors to Vietnam. “We hope to expand the lineup of tractors that can be used on the fields of Vietnam. Apart from that, we suggest increasing the deliveries of quarry machines and tires for heavy haulers,” the head of government said.

The proposals of Vietnamese business circles include processing of seafood on Belarusian enterprises, supplies of technical products that can be used in Belarus and the Customs Union. “These proposals were discussed at the meeting of the heads of state; the government is ready to work on the schemes that will be convenient and beneficial for the Vietnamese economy,” Sergei Sidorsky assured.

The Belarusian Premier believes that meetings that conclude in new agreements and contracts will help advance the cooperation between Belarus and Vietnam in trade, manufacturing industry, agriculture, financial and security fields.

Vietnam proposes Belarus to develop economic relations in various areas, President of Vietnam Nguyen Minh Triet said.

“Vietnam would like to strengthen cooperation with Belarus to add dynamism to our economic growth and make our relations more substantive,” the Vietnamese president said.

According to him, this pertains not only about political relations. There is a need to step up cooperation in economic, trade and investment areas.

The President of Vietnam also expressed the wish for the trade to surpass the current mark of \\$120 million. There is a huge potential for that. According to him, the signing of a free trade zone agreement between Belarus and Vietnam would help step up bilateral trade. More so, there is a need to create favorable conditions for mutual investment. The Vietnamese side welcomes Belarusian investment projects which are implemented in their country. Promising are also the cooperation on setting up joint facilities to assemble engines of the Minsk Engine Plant, optic devices of BelOMO Production Association and also the cooperation in the machine tool industry. Belarusian companies are looking into a possibility to set up joint food manufactures in Vietnam. Belarus could also take part in the development of oil and gas fields in Vietnam, set up joint ventures in coal and potash salt production.

“We would also like Belarus to invest in metro building projects in major cities in Vietnam,” President Nguyen Minh Triet added. The sides see certain cooperation prospects in such areas as agriculture, training of personnel, defense and security.