29 March 2007
Belarusian, Latvian foreign ministries to hold consultations in Minsk
The Belarusian and Latvian foreign ministries will hold a round of consultations in Minsk on April 3 at the level of deputy ministers, Andrey Papow, spokesman for the Belarusian foreign ministry, said at Thursday's briefing.
The Belarusian delegation to the meeting will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Valery Varanetski, and the Latvian delegation by Edgars Skuja, the ministry's under-secretary of state.
During the consultations, participants are expected to exchange information about the development of the internal political and socio-economic situations in Belarus and Latvia, discuss the state and development prospects of bilateral political relations, the expansion of trade and economic and investment cooperation, the improvement of the legal basis for bilateral relations, and cooperation in the transport sphere, as well as the most efficient use of cooperation between provinces.
According to the Belarusian foreign ministry, in 2006, trade between the two countries increased by 38.9 percent to $537.9 million, which was the highest level in the last 15 years.
Belarusian exports to Latvia reportedly went up 43.2 percent to $462 million, which resulted in an export surplus of $350.1 million.
A total of $150.9 million worth of Latvian capital was reportedly invested in the Belarusian economy in 2006.
There are currently 186 enterprises involving Latvian capital in Belarus, including 147 companies in Minsk, with 40 founded last year.
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