MINSK, 5 December (BelTA) – The One Belt, One Road initiative will secure closer interstate and interregional trade, economic and investment cooperation in different areas between all the states participating in this large-scale initiative, Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration Nikolai Snopkov said in an interview with China’s leading mass media. The development of transport infrastructure is one of Belarus’ top priorities, Nikolai Snopkov said. “Belarus is ready to...

MINSK, 21 November (BelTA) – Belarus is increasingly perceived as an island of stability in the region, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with the delegation of the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the European Union on 21 November, BelTA has learned. “Belarus is increasingly perceived as an island of stability in the region. There is nothing surprising in this. Our country is the only of six member states of the Eastern Partnership initiative where...

MINSK, 14 November (BelTA) – The customs services of Belarus and Turkey agreed to simplify customs formalities with a view to reduce time spent for customs clearance on the border. The matter is envisaged in the intergovernmental agreement on the mutual trade assistance system. The document was signed by Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Belarus Yuri Senko and Turkey’s Minister of Customs and Trade Bulent Tufenkci, BelTA learned from the press service of the State Customs...

MINSK, 10 November (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko had a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart on 9 November, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian head of state. The Presidents talked over the challenges in the Belarusian-Russian cooperation. Solutions to them have been worked out by the governments of the two countries and are expected to be approved at the next meeting of the two heads of state, which, according to the preliminary...

MINSK, 1 November (BelTA) – Belarus raised export duties on oil and oil products, which are exported outside the customs territory of the Eurasian Economic Union, on 1 November 2016. The relevant decision is stipulated by the Council of Ministers’ executive order No.877 of 26 October 2016, the press service of the Belarus government told BelTA. The export duty on crude oil went up from $91.9 to $92.7 to per tonne. The duty on straight-run gasoline was raised from $65.2 per tonne to...

MINSK, 25 October (BelTA) - Poland is ready to participate in programs of privatization of Belarusian companies, Mateusz Morawiecki, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Finance of Poland, said following a meeting of the joint Belarusian-Polish commission on economic cooperation on 24 October, BelTA has learned. “We are ready to participate in privatization programs in Belarus. We invite the parties interested in this,” said Mateusz Morawiecki. He noted that...

MOSCOW, 18 October (BelTA) – The issues related to the Belarusian-Russian relations were discussed at the meeting between Belarus’ First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Yevdochenko and State Secretary - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Grigory Karasin in Moscow on 17 October, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The parties discussed the Belarusian-Russian relations, including the progress made in the...

BEIJING, 30 September (BelTA) – Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Li Keqiang held talks in Beijing on 30 September, BelTA has learned. At the start of the meeting the Belarusian head of state noted that he has been interested in the development of the Chinese state for almost 25 years already, and that his familiarization with the country started before he was elected President. Alexander Lukashenko said that when...

MINSK, 22 September (BelTA) – During the high-level ceremony at the UN Headquarters on 21 September Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei delivered Belarus’ instrument of acceptance of the Paris Climate Agreement to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. On September 20 the decree on the acceptance of the Agreement was signed by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Secretary General...

MINSK, 14 September (BelTA) – Belarus’ Andrei Pranevich and Vladimir Izotov have won gold medals at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, BelTA has learned. Andrei Pranevich took gold in the Wheelchair Fencing Men's Individual Epee - Category B after he beat Iraq’s Ali Ammar 15-14 in the final. Bronze went to Ukraine’s Oleg Naumenko who saw off Yannick Ifebe of France 15-5. Two Belarsuians made it into the Wheelchair Fencing Women's Individual Epee top eight. Alesya Mokritskaya...