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Ukrainian ambassador on trade with Belarus

Trade between Belarus and Ukraine totaled nearly $2.5 billion in the first half of this year, Ukrainian Ambassador Roman Bezsmertnyi told reporters in Minsk on August 18, quoted by BelaPAN.

"This is a record high figure," he stressed. "There was no such level even in 2008 when trade reached an all-time high of $4.6 billion."

The volume of trade between the two countries rose year-on-year by 46.7 percent in the first six months of 2010, with Belarusian exports soaring by 53.3 percent to $1.3 billion.

The ambassador described the figures as "encouraging" and said that trade increases in the latter half of every year. "We are interested in Belarus' farm produce, mineral fertilizers, certain types of agricultural machinery and many other Belarusian-made goods," Mr. Bezsmertnyi said.

He also played up cooperation between the two countries in electricity deliveries and crude oil transportation.
The ambassador emphasized the importance of a "roadmap" for the development of bilateral cooperation signed by the two countries' deputy prime ministers this past May.