FM: Belarus hopes to resolve trade disputes with Ukraine through direct dialogue

         Belarus does not agree with the rationale behind the decision of the Ukrainian interagency commission for international trade to impose a special import duty on certain goods from Belarus and expects to settle the existing differences through a direct dialogue, Spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Dmitry Mironchik said commenting on the decision of the Ukrainian interagency commission for international trade. " We cannot agree with the motivation because Belarus did not take any steps targeting Ukraine. Neither do we agree with the interpretation of our steps as "unfriendly", the spokesman said. "Import licensing introduced in Belarus, that caused such a negative reaction in Ukraine, applies to an indefinite number of countries, not exclusively Ukraine, as somebody wants to present it. Moreover, it also fully fits into the format of international trade: the licensing mechanism has been imposed for six months only. Licensing does not, in any way, mean prohibition or quotas, but only some regulation of the market," said Dmitry Mironchik. “In the near future Minsk is expected to host consultations with Ukrainian experts,” he added.