Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania to propose joint energy project to EU
Belarus and Latvia should work harder to advance manufacturing cooperation and implement joint projects, said Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky as he met with Latvia Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis on February 18. In the modern world it is important not only to trade, but to establish manufacturing cooperation schemes and implement joint projects, said the Belarusian Premier. At present a MAZ automobile assembly enterprise operates successfully. The vehicles are certified for compliance with European standards.
In the near future Minsk Engine Plant will present a Euro-4 engine and Belarus will be able to offer the make to the European Union. Belarus and Latvia are also negotiating joint bus production.
According to the Prime Minister, Belarusian companies are ready to suggest several projects for implementation in the near future. Both the countries believe that transit, supplies of potash fertilisers and petroleum products are important.
It is important to talk about the trust of payments, continued the Belarusian head of government. “After the meeting we should deal with issues concerning the trust of payments for machinery supplies without advance payments. I think the government can take the responsibility in order to support the mutual trade level,” said Sergei Sidorsky.
The Prime Minister also remarked, there are plans to talk over several matters concerning the relocation of manufacturing facilities to Belarus and the Belarusian side is ready to consider all variants.
Sergei Sidorsky noted, in 2008 Belarus-Latvia trade hit a record high of $2.3 billion, twice as much as in 2007 and four times as much as in 2006.
In turn, Prime Minister of Latvia Ivars Godmanis noted that in cooperation of the two countries there are areas where the two economies can support and complement each other. “We can offer effective, fast and competitive canals for transit, cargo transhipment via our ports,” he said. Latvia and Belarus should also do their best to increase mutual investments.
Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania plan to propose a joint energy project to the EU, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergey Sidorsky told media after his meeting with Prime Minister of Latvia Ivar Godmanis.
“In the near future we will develop a joint Belarus-Lithuania-Latvia project in the energy area and offer it to the EU”, Sergey Sidorsky said.
He added that Belarus is carrying out a programme to modernize its power engineering industry and increase its capacity. The future nuclear power plant will allow to export Belarusian electric power which explains the interest of the country in participation in energy projects.
Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis informed that a tripartite meeting is to be held in Vilnius on March 9 to discuss the construction of power lines to Latvia. He said that a project to set up power lines from Sweden is in preparation now. It is unclear yet whether they will go to Lithuania or Latvia. The European Commission will deliver its resolution in mid summer so that the construction can be launched on January 1, 2010.
At the same time, the sides are considering a possibility to interconnect power lines to expand the energy supplies market. “We are interested in connecting these lines with Belarusian ones, as we get all the electric power through Lithuania,” the Prime Minister said. He pointed out that it is necessary to extend this project beyond the EU as Latvia gets electric power from Russia as well. After all, Belarus decided to construct a nuclear power plant and Latvia can import electric power from Belarus, too.
Two countries signed a memorandum on energy cooperation between the government of the Republic of Belarus and the government of the Republic of Latvia.
In 2008 Belarus-Latvia trade turnover totalled $2.322 billion, 100% up on 2007. Belarus’ export to Latvia amounted to $2.184 billion (120% up), import from Latvia — $138 million (8% up). The foreign trade surplus made up $2.046 billion, almost $1.178 billion more than in 2007.