BELARUS, CUBA INK AGREEMENT ON DELIVERY OF 100 MAZ BUSES

Belarus and Cuba signed an intergovernmental agreement on the supplies of 100 MAZ buses in Minsk on February 27. The document stipulates the terms of a Belarusbank loan to Cuba to finance the delivery. Cuba will produce necessary guarantees for the loan repayment. Cuba is one of the priorities of the Belarusian foreign policy on the Latin-American continent, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky said at a meeting with Minister of Government of Cuba Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz.

“Good relations between the two state leaders promote development of bilateral relations,” he underlined. According to the Prime Minister, the opening of the credit line for Cuba to finance the deliveries of Belarusian buses will boost cooperation between the two countries.

Industry Minister of Belarus Anatoly Rusetsky informed that Belarus will supply Cuba with six buses in the near future; the rest will be delivered within the next six months.

According to Minister of Government of Cuba Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, “the agreement has become a momentous event for the further development of cooperation between Belarus and Cuba”. On February 28 the Cuban delegation is expected to visit Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ trademark) to get familiar with the production.

Mr. Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz underlined: “We are fully satisfied with today’s meeting. We believe Belarus and Cuba have a great potential for boosting cooperation”. At the same time the Cuban industry does not have full information about Belarus’ economic achievements. In this respect Cuba offers to establish a permanent exchange of information about the economic development of the two countries.

The sides also considered deliveries of Belarusian farm machines and cars to Cuba.

In late March Havana will host a session of the Belarusian-Cuban commission for trade and economic cooperation. The chiefs of the Belarusian companies which products are of interest for Cuba are expected to take part in the session to sign direct agreements. The Industry Minister of Belarus noted that the agreements would help double the Belarusian exports to Cuba as against 2007.

Cuba shows a great interest in the deliveries of Belarusian farm machines, Minister of Government of Cuba Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz said during a meeting with Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky. In turn, Cuba is ready to supply Belarus with new pharmaceutical products.

According to Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, the agricultural industry of Cuba needs renovating, therefore is interested in cooperation with Belarus. He believes that the great cooperation potential remains untapped. It is necessary to establish not only bilateral but trilateral cooperation between Belarus, Cuba and Venezuela, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz said.

Cuba is one of Belarus’ main trading partners in Latin America. In 2007, trade between Belarus and Cuba went down by 3.5% to $21.2 million. Exports increased by 43.2% to $14.8 million, imports decreased by 45% to $6.4 million. Belarus had a trade surplus of $4.8 million.

In 2007 Belarus’ exports of tractors grew 2.6 times, combustion engines – 2.1 times, tyres – 2.1 times. Belarus also exported trucks, spare parts and components to Cuba.

The exports were expanded to include new goods: consumer equipment, synthetic fibres, electric transformers, soil sorting equipment, furniture, printed products.

Belarus has completed interstate procedures necessary for signing an intergovernmental agreement on supplies of 100 MAZ buses to Cuba and on issuing a loan. The contracts on the delivery of Brestgazoapparat gas cookers, equipment and spare parts of the Mogilev Plant Strommashina are at the stage of implementation. Integral’s sci-tech center Belmikrosistemy has been supported in developing cooperation with the companies of the Ministry of Information and Communications of Cuba.

PUBLICATIONS OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

INTERNET RESOURCES