Russia remains Belarus’ main trading partner in 2013

Russia remained Belarus’ main trading partner in 2013, with bilateral trade totaling almost $39.7 billion, reads the review of the operation of the Foreign Ministry and Belarus’ foreign policy in 2013 compiled by the Ministry, BelTA has learnt.

Russia accounted for 49.5% of Belarus’ entire trade. Belarus was among Russia’s six most-important trading partners.

The Foreign Ministry notes that the Belarus-Russia intensive dialogue at the high and highest level allowed the countries to reach fundamental agreements in different areas of bilateral relations such as industry, power engineering, finance, R&D and military and technical cooperation. The sides got down to practical implementation of major integration projects which are designed to branch out into high-quality and competitive products by uniting the potential of the two countries in such key areas as automobile industry, electronics and chemical industry. The implementation of the joint project to construct the Belarusian nuclear power plant with the Rosatom corporation was also continued.

The review reads that traditionally tight coordination of activities of the two countries’ foreign ministries improved the states’ influence in the international scene. The major areas of such cooperation were laid down in the 2014-2015 program on coordinated actions in the field of foreign policy of the members of the agreement on the establishment of the Union State. “The Union State of Belarus and Russia continued to be the powerhouse of CIS integration,” reads the review.

In 2013 Belarus took an active part in the development of the Eurasian integration project and continued to step up cooperation with the Customs Union (CU)/Single Economic Space (SES) and the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). Systemic work was carried out to harmonize Belarus’, Russia’s and Kazakhstan’s views on the future Eurasian Economic Union treaty. The Foreign Ministry noted that the first three meetings of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council at the level of heads of state, the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council at the level of heads of government and 12 meetings of the EEC Council resulted in 140 resolutions on tariff and non-tariff regulation, standardization, technical regulation, industrial and agro-industrial policy, the formulation of common competition and public procurement rules, cooperation in transport, power engineering and information exchange. Work continued to codify the CU/SES legal framework and eliminate barriers for free movement of goods, services, capital and labor force on a step-by-step basis. A roadmap on Armenia’s accession to the CU/SES was approved. Work continued to develop a roadmap on Kyrgyzstan’s accession to the Customs Union and draft a number of free trade agreements.

“In 2013 the three constituent countries of the CU/SES created extra conditions to expand mutual trade, develop industrial cooperation and secure fair competition and the necessary level of tariff protection of the common market. Belarus’ interests were undoubtedly taken into account when these decisions were made,” reads the review.