MOSCOW, 7 December (BelTA) – The agreement on setting up a Belarusian-Italian business council was signed in Moscow on 7 December. The document was signed by Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bank Intesa, President of the association Conoscere Eurasia Antonio Fallico, BelTA has learned.
During the ceremony Antonio Fallico noted that the agreement had been signed upon the initiative of the Belarusian side. “Belarus-Italy relations are reliable and strong, but unfortunately the volume of mutual trade is rather modest,” he said. Belarus-Italy trade has dropped to some $600 million per annum. “Italian and Belarusian companies deserve much more,” Antonio Fallico was convinced.
The executive remarked that Bank Intesa will undertake considerable obligations as part of the agreement. In particular, the Italian side can provide access to the bank's entire chain in Europe and Russia to the Belarusian partners. “We are committed to advancing cooperation with Belarus,” stated Antonio Fallico.
The Italian side intends to submit a proposal on arranging specific events within the framework of the signed agreement soon. Antonio Fallico mentioned one of them during the signing ceremony. “We would like to arrange a Belarusian-Italian business forum in Italy and Belarus in turns every year for representatives of major companies of the two countries as well as representatives of small and medium businesses,” said the chairman of the Board of Directors of Bank Intesa.
In turn, Vladimir Ulakhovich noted that Belarusians know Antonio Fallico as a sincere enthusiast of the development of cooperation between Europe and Eurasia. “Belarus and Italy enjoy good and kind relations,” he noted. “Dozens of thousands of Belarusian kids affected by the Chernobyl catastrophe have been to Italy for rehabilitation purposes. Some 250 Belarusian-Italian joint ventures have been established. [The cosmetics producer] Belita is the most prominent one. We have the foundation for more advanced cooperation.”
Another proposal was mentioned by Belarus' Charge d'Affaires in Russia Yuri Yaroshevich. He invited Bank Intesa and the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to arrange a number of joint events at premises of the Belarusian embassy in Moscow.
