17 May 2004
Brest, Kalinigrad provinces sign cooperation accord
Russia's Kaliningrad exclave signed an agreement on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation with the Brest region on May 14.
The signing ceremony at the office of the Brest regional government crowned a two-day visit by a Kaliningrad delegation, which was led by Vice Governor Oleg Shlyk and included representatives of
commerce and industry associations and business executives.
The delegation visited local companies and met with Konstantin Sumar, chairman of the Brest Regional Executive Committee.
Mr. Shlyk said the accord provides for the establishment of a joint company to cut and deliver granite from Belarus to the exclave.
The Kaliningrad province vowed to increase imports of other building materials and agricultural produce, while the Brest government pledged to make arrangements for the admission of applicants from Kaliningrad to the city's universities.
Trade between the provinces rose by almost 50 percent to $6.4 million last year. In the first quarter of 2004, trade jumped by 72 percent year on year to $1.9 million. Vladimir Zalomai, former governor of the Brest region who heads the Belarusian embassy's department in Kaliningrad, accompanied the delegation.
He said that more than 85,000 Belarusians living in the exclave make up more than eight percent of its population.
http://brestonline.com/en/news/news509.html