MINSK, 18 October (BelTA) – Production, construction, and innovations should be the driving force of the Belarus-Tatarstan economic cooperation progress, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov on 18 October, BelTA has learned.
“Of course, our bilateral relations are comprehensive and versatile. Tatarstan is among the top ten trade partners of Belarus among Russian regions,” the head of state remarked. “We believe that production, construction, and innovations are the main driving force of our progress. Besides, there are good prospects in the agricultural industry, we can outline joint projects in this sector.”
In his words, despite the trade turnover has been falling in recent time, Belarus and Tatarstan have a big potential for making up leeway. “The today's visit of your delegation to Belarus will give a strong impetus to this process,” Alexander Lukashenko emphasized.
He pointed out that there are significant bilateral projects. These include the manufacture of tractors at the automobile plant in Yelabuga. “I am sure that if we step up efforts, we will give a boost to the development of this enterprise,” the Belarusian leader remarked.
The President also said that it is needed to ramp up the assembly of equipment at the elevator plant in Kazan. “We would like not only to meet the demand of your republic for the products of this enterprise, but also to meet the demand of our neighbors. Apart from that, Belarus has done a lot to launch the production of ultra-modern elevators at our elevator plant,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
The head of state deemed it necessary to enhance cooperation ties in the production of cars and vehicle components. In his opinion, Belstankoinstrument Holding Company can take part in the equipment upgrade of Tatarstan enterprises.
In order to restore the trade turnover, it is also possible to deliver Belarusian passenger, freight, municipal, and road engineering equipment, including the equipment running on gas fuel.
“Given the robust construction of residential housing and infrastructure facilities in Tatarstan, there are good prospects for cooperation in the construction industry. We are ready to build houses in Tatarstan, export cement, ceramic tiles, polished glass, other materials and equipment for the designing and turn-key construction of objects in your regions,” Alexander Lukashenko said.
He believes that Belarus-Tatarstan interregional ties should play a bigger role in the enhancement of mutually beneficial cooperation. “They should be filled with concrete economic projects,” the Belarusian leader stressed.
