DUSHANBE, December 17, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- The sixth session of the Tajik-Belarus intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation has opened in Dushanbe today afternoon.   

Co-chaired by Tajik deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister, Ms. Larisa Kislyakova, and Belarus Deputy Foreign Minister, Igor Petrishchenko, the session is considering issues related to expansion of product assortment of export/import operations through extending commodity-distribution networks of enterprises of the two countries as well as strengthening status of Tajik-Belarus Trade House, lodging it with dealer rights of Belarus enterprises.  

Speaking at the meeting, Kislyakova noted that bilateral trade cooperation between the two countries has been expanding.  However, she noted that there still was considerable room for expansion of economic ties.  “Compared to 2006, trade between Tajikistan and Belarus rose 25 percent in 2007, reaching more than US$26 million,” said she, “However, Belarus accounted for only 1.5 percent of Tajikistan’s external trade turnover in 2007.”  Over the first ten months of this year, Tajik-Belarus trade has amounted to some US$70 million, which is nearly three times more than in the same period of last year, Tajik official added.      

For his part, Petrishchenko outlined machinery supplies with use of leasing schemes, energy and agrarian sector, mining, and assembling as priorities of bilateral cooperation between Belarus and Tajikistan.

Tomorrow, they sides are planned to sign a protocol that will reflect prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Belarus.