OREANDA-NEWS. August 26, 2010. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko views regional cooperation as the basis of the Belarusian-Russian integration. He made this statement as he met with Governor of Kursk Oblast of the Russian Federation Alexander Mikhailov.

The Head of State noted with regret that the global financial crisis affected both the bilateral relations and trade. Last year the mutual trade reduced by one third and with some region by 50%. However, owing to close links with the Russian regions including with Kursk Oblast, the trade is rebounding. According to the president, this process will be faster if artificial barriers are removed.

According to the head of state, it is important to ensure equal conditions for Belarusian and Russian economic entities. “We need to address all emerging problems in a prompt and efficient manner. We cannot allow many-year cooperation, trade and partner links to break. This is the key to the improvement of the welfare of the residents of our countries and regions,” he said.

Kursk Oblast is a traditional trading and economic partner of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko noted. This is the third time that the governor of that region has visited Belarus. According to the Belarusian leader, this integration is an objective process which is not prone to short-term political considerations. The head of state stressed that the economic aspect with Russia’s Central Federal District is very important for Belarus.

According to the president, Belarus and Kursk Oblast have long-time friendly ties and mutual all-round interests, including in the manufacturing, agricultural and transport industries. Kursk Oblast imports nearly 200 commodity groups from Belarus. Almost the same amount is exported from Kursk Oblast. Kursk Oblast purchases Belarusian trucks, tractors and combine harvesters, and supplies Belarus with metal, grain and flour.

“It is good to have trading relations, but today it is high time the two sides switched to a qualitatively new level in the relations. We need joint mutually beneficial projects securing innovative development of the two economies and competitiveness of products on the global market,” the Belarusian head of state said. According to the president, an agreement to set up a Belkommunmash trolleybus assembling plant at the Kurskelectrotrans company is viewed as a priority project which can promote cooperation in other areas.

Agriculture is another promising avenue of bilateral cooperation. Gomel Oblast, the country’s leading producer of agricultural equipment, is Kursk Oblast’s major partner in Belarus. “You know that land and agriculture is the basis of wellbeing of any state, never mind such agricultural powers as Belarus and Russia,” the Belarusian leader said. Alexander Lukashenko added that cooperation, joint manufacturing and new jobs help address social problems in the regions, bring ordinary people closer to each other.

Alexander Lukashenko invited the Governor of Kursk Oblast for an open discussion of the issues of current importance “without paying attention to the problems, which, unfortunately, high-level politicians try to create in the relations between Russia and Belarus”.