UFA, 21 September (BelTA) - Bashkortostan is interested in Belarusian equipment, Head of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov told the media after a working meeting with Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko on 20 September, BelTA has learned.
Talking to the media, Radiy Khabirov said that relations between Bashkortostan and Belarus have traditionally been strong and stable. Today life itself pushes to their more rapid development. In his words, that Roman Golovchenko's proposal to develop long-term programs of joint work is very pragmatic in this connection.
“We need to think and find a solution, so that many plans for our integration, for the exchange of goods will be of a long-term nature. Today a decision has been made on long-term programs. Long-term supply programs are of current interest. Under the sanctions pressure, we need agricultural, municipal and road machinery. In order to make it convenient for our Belarusian partners to compile a production plan, and for us to understand what we need and put it in our budgets, we agreed to develop long-term programs,” said Radiy Khabirov.
The Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan noted that joint projects, which were previously spelled out in the road map of cooperation, are now actively implemented. “These are very diverse activities, ranging from mechanical engineering and internal mutual interaction to humanitarian cooperation. What is really important is that today we have outlined a new point, which has not been talked about until recently. This is machine tool construction. Our enterprises experience a shortage of machine tools, which for one reason or another are not currently supplied to our country. Through a deeper cooperation it is possible to set up a powerful machine tool cluster to meet our needs,” he said.
Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said that the bilateral meeting marked the beginning of serious joint work. According to the prime minister, today the Republic of Bashkortostan and Belarus have many joint projects, which make it possible to reach the $1 billion milestone earlier set by Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko. Roman Golovchenko stressed that both business and officials are motivated for results. “We have a multifaceted cooperation, it is not only export-import mutual supplies, which are also showing good results this year. These are also cooperation projects. This is extremely important for us to unite our scientific and industrial potential,” said Roman Golovchenko.
On 20 September Head of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov presented Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko with the Order of Friendship, and wished him to continue to work actively on joint projects for the common good.
This is a high state award, which can be conferred both on citizens of the Russian Federation and citizens of foreign states for special merits in strengthening peace, friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding between peoples, for great contribution to the implementation of joint major economic projects and attracting investment funds to the economy of the Russian Federation, the development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation, strategic partnership and alliance with the Russian Federation in political, military, socio-economic, scientific, technical, environmental, demographic, information, humanitarian and other fields, the promotion of integration and other achievements.
The first day of the Belarusian government delegation's visit to Ufa ended with an excursion to the Bashkortostan management center and a gala concert.
The second day of the Belarusian government delegation's visit to Bashkortostan will be marked by the strengthening of international cooperation and the development of joint business projects. A number of significant practical documents are expected to be signed.
The Belarusian government delegation led by the prime minister is on a visit to Ufa and Kazan on 20-22 September. The Belarusian delegation has comprised representatives of various ministries and agencies, heads of Belarusian companies such as MTZ, MAZ, Belkommunmash, Amkodor, and Horizont.
