Фото: Пул первого
Alyaksandr Lukashenka met today with Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Belarus, Rakhmatulla Nazarov. The meeting precedes the visit of Uzbekistan’s president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to Minsk.
“We have a good history, and our relations are very good. I hope that these relations will continue. I very much hope so. Therefore, Shavkat Miromonovich’s visit to Belarus will in this regard be a milestone and historic, if I may say so. You are a key partner for us,” Lukashenka said, according to his press service.
Recently, Prime Minister Alyaksandr Turchyn visited Uzbekistan. Last week, as a follow-up to the agreements reached, a delegation of Uzbek business representatives visited Minsk. They discussed opening an Uzbek restaurant, a trade house, as well as creating agricultural enterprises in Belarus. Lukashenka reminded the ambassador today about these agreements.
“This includes a trade house and agriculture. We are ready to provide you with all the conditions and our technologies. Our people will help here. If you want, please — here is land in a specific region, in Vitsyebsk or Mahilyow — produce there and take the products back to your country. We have agreed to work this way with Oman. I think if we have agreed with Oman, then with Uzbekistan even more so,” Lukashenka said.
Lukashenka expects that trade turnover between Belarus and Uzbekistan will grow to 2 billion dollars by the end of the current five-year period.
“I think that by that time we will update all our issues, summarize them and develop a plan for the near and medium-term future. Relations are developing quite well. Especially following the recent visit of our government delegation headed by the prime minister to your country.
I very much welcome the agreement that in the near future, somewhere by 2030, we will reach two billion dollars in trade turnover. This is entirely possible. Moreover, the economies of our countries do not compete with each other. Everything we know how to produce — from agriculture to mechanical engineering — is needed by the densely populated Uzbek state,” he said.
Last year, trade turnover amounted to 855 million dollars, an increase of 34.8%. The balance was in Belarus’s favor at 517 million dollars. Trade in services between the countries increased by 56.1% to 207.9 million dollars.
“We are also very interested in supplying and processing your wool at our enterprises. I believe this concerns the cotton mill in Baranavichy and others as well. You can look at what interests you. As I said, two billion dollars in trade turnover is not a problem,” he said.
It should be noted that clothing for schoolchildren from Dagestan is already being sewn in Belarus under a tolling scheme.
Lukashenka also offered Uzbekistan assistance in building a nuclear power plant.
“We know about your interest in our specialists regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant. We acquired such competencies thanks to the Russians. We work with the Russians at sites around the world where they build nuclear power units. If it suits you, come at any time when you need.
You will sit down with specialists, talk — the minister will give instructions. We will assist in the construction of your nuclear power plant. We will try to ensure that our specialists provide all possible help. You will see for yourselves where we can be useful to you,” he added.