Minsk, 23 May (BelTA) – Russia’s Vologda Oblast and Belarus have unlimited opportunities for cooperation, Acting Governor of Russia’s Vologda Oblast Georgy Filimonov said during a meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Commission on Interregional Cooperation of the Council of the Republic and the Federation Council in Vologda on 23 May, BelTA has learned.
“Belarus is one of our main strategic partners. The level of political dialogue and warmth of relations demonstrated by our leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, has reached the highest levels today and is a model for us to strive for in the interregional cooperation, partnership with our colleagues from the Republic of Belarus. Because the opportunities are limitless," Georgy Filimonov noted. “I mean our legendary metallurgical complex, the chemical industry, the timber processing complex, agriculture, mechanical engineering and many other areas where we can boost our cooperation.”
According to him, the trade between Vologda Oblast and Belarus amounted to $706 million last year. “We need to build on this achievement,” the acting governor noted. “We should pay more attention to cooperation between small and medium-sized businesses which we support. A start has been made. Last year, our small and medium-sized enterprises exported products to the Republic of Belarus worth more than $6 million, and this is just the beginning, the first step."
“We also have tremendous opportunities in terms of humanitarian cooperation,” Georgy Filimonov stated.
The meeting was attended by a Belarusian delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic Sergei Khomenko in person and representatives the Council of the Republic via video conferencing.
“Belarus is one of our main strategic partners. The level of political dialogue and warmth of relations demonstrated by our leaders, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, has reached the highest levels today and is a model for us to strive for in the interregional cooperation, partnership with our colleagues from the Republic of Belarus. Because the opportunities are limitless," Georgy Filimonov noted. “I mean our legendary metallurgical complex, the chemical industry, the timber processing complex, agriculture, mechanical engineering and many other areas where we can boost our cooperation.”
According to him, the trade between Vologda Oblast and Belarus amounted to $706 million last year. “We need to build on this achievement,” the acting governor noted. “We should pay more attention to cooperation between small and medium-sized businesses which we support. A start has been made. Last year, our small and medium-sized enterprises exported products to the Republic of Belarus worth more than $6 million, and this is just the beginning, the first step."
“We also have tremendous opportunities in terms of humanitarian cooperation,” Georgy Filimonov stated.
The meeting was attended by a Belarusian delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Republic Sergei Khomenko in person and representatives the Council of the Republic via video conferencing.
