President: Belarus ready to set up joint industrial companies in Thailand

Photo: www.president.gov.by

Thailand's parliamentary delegation visits Belarus.

Belarus is ready to set up joint industrial companies in Thailand, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Chairman of the National Legislative Assembly of the Kingdom of Thailand Pornpetch Wichitcholchai on 27 June. He also mentioned the need to work on the legislative framework of cooperation:

"Thailand is the case when cooperation between our countries begins at the legislative level. I am happy to see friendly dialogue develop between our countries, and I believe we should work to provide a solid legal foundation for our cooperation.As the head of state, will do everything possible so that our relationship evolve and deepen. In Belarus it will be the Parliament who will be the main guiding link in our relations. As to politics, we have no issues in our relations. We share approaches to the international agenda, wehave developed a roadmap of relations. I would not say that this is the final version. I think that we will keep working on the plan of our relations, will deepen and expand them, particularly in the area of economic cooperation, because it is the foundation of any relationship. I think we should make use of our experience of relations with other countries and set up a special intergovernmental commission or group that would work out a corresponding agreement on economic cooperation."

Belarus is interested in establishing equal partnership with Thailand, Speaker of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich said at an earlier meeting with Chairman of the National Legislative Assembly of Thailand Pornpetch Wichitcholchai.

Mikhail Myasnikovich has noted that Belarus has high expectations of the visit of Thailand’s guests. According to the Speaker of the Council of the Republic, Belarus counts on a coordinated policy in the work of international organizations and strengthened bilateral ties:

"Belarus-Thailand cooperation needs to be taken further. First and foremost, this requires development of a bilateral regulatory framework, which is now in its early days. That is why, as representatives of the Parliament, the Council of the Republic, we discussed agreements on mutual protection of investments, avoidance of double taxation, and economic cooperation. In a word, those ground-laying documents which ensure sustainable business operation.We will be working very actively on a road map, which, as has been decided, will be drawn up by friendship groups on our parliaments."

Chairman of the House of Representatives Vladimir Andreichenko has noted that Belarus views Thailand as a promising partner in the region and is ready for comprehensive cooperation. According to Vladimir Andreichenko, legislative bodies are playing an important part in this process. “Inter-parliamentary relations have been recently vibrant,” he said. The Chairman of the House of Representatives also mentioned regular bilateral meetings and cooperation between friendship groups, among other things:

"I'd like to point out that the dialogue between our parliaments is progressing well, our cooperation in international parliamentary structures is vibrant. And I believe that the central goal MPs have is to help boost trade and economic cooperation. Belarus can increase its supplies of agricultural machinery, trucks, potash fertilizers to Thailand. There are promising prospects in promoting tourist flows between our countries. Today we also discussed simplification of visa regime for citizens of Belarus."

Chairman of the National Legislative Assembly of Thailand pointed out complimentary nature of economic systems in Belarus and Thailand, and expressed confidence in the growth of our trade turnover:

"As to trade and investments, Belarus and Thailand should work closer in this regard. Belarus has a well-developed heavy engineering industry, which we lack, while we can offer offer products that you don't produce locally, too. The logistical schemes between our countries is still under development, but our business circles are already exchanging visits. Quite a number of our businessmen are eager to visit Belarus to see what it can offer with their own eyes."