Senators meet with the Ambassadors of Lithuania and the USA

       August 23, 2007 Mr Vladimir Andreichenko, member of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus for Economy, Budget and Finances, Chairman Vitebsk Province Executive Committee, met with H.E. Edminas Bagdonas, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to the Republic of Belarus.

       The parties raised the issues concerning the prospects for the development of mutually beneficial relations. According to the Belarusian senator, to date there are about 300 enterprises operating within the territory of Belarus with Lithuanian share capital and the trade turnover between the two states is approaching the point of 1 bln. US dollars. The participants of the meeting also spoke of the interest of the Lithuanian businesses to create joint ventures in small towns of Belarus and to join in the 5^th Investment Forum to take place in Vitebsk, October, 2007.

       The head of the diplomatic mission of Lithuania expressed confidence that the legal framework currently in force in the Republic of Belarus allowed developing economic relations between the two countries. Mr Bagdonas underlined that small towns of Vitebsk Province enjoyed a great potential for the economic development of the region and the production infrastructure presented interest for possible Lithuanian investors.

       Previous to that Mr Vladimir Savchenko, member of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus for Foreign Affairs and National Security, Chairman Grodno Province Executive Committee, met with H.E. Karen B. Stewart, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Belarus.

       During the meeting the parties discussed the possibilities for the establishment of joint ventures and foreign enterprises with the US capital share. Mr Vladimir Savchenko stressed that the trade turnover between the US and Grodno Province had almost reached the point of 19,5 mln. US dollars for the five months of the present year and had increased by 68,9 % against the analogous period of 2006. Ms Stewart pointed out that Belarus and Grodno Province in particular had an enormous potential for the development of tourism.

       Meanwhile the parties agreed that the program of the next visit of the US Ambassador to Grodno Province would include visiting industrial enterprises of Grodno.

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