MINSK, 4 April (BelTA) – Ukraine remains an important trade and economic partner of Belarus. The countries are in constant contact and do their best to regulate all conflict moments, Belarus' Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov said in an interview with the RIA Novosti news agency, BelTA has learned.
“As for Ukraine, we have no closed domestic decisions. We have told about it before and say it now. We are not going to break ties with our trade and economic partners,” noted Andrei Kobyakov.
In his words, Ukraine is in fact Belarus' second biggest trade and economic partner after Russia. “Of course, on the back of the $40 billion trade with the Russian Federation, our maximum trade with Ukraine reached $8.2 billion in 2012. For us, the country with GDP of $60 billion, $8 billion in foreign trade is quite important. Before 2014 we had $6.2-6.4 billion in trade with Ukraine. Now it has declined to $3.5 billion,” said Andrei Kobyakov.
In his words, there are some conflicts of interests where the countries should seek resolution. Belarus, however, keeps in touch with Ukrainian partners. “We are doing our best to lead any conflict moments to mutual agreement,” the Belarusian head of government said.
Andrei Kobyakov stressed that Ukraine is an important trade and economic partner for Belarus. However, a decision was taken to inform the Russian and Kazakhstani counterparts on the country's close monitoring of all export and import operations with Ukrainian partners.
According to the Premier, the statistics does not provide any dramatic increase in imports as it is stated in some media reports. “The customs and statistics services have been instructed on the matter. We are also critical about the protection of our domestic market,” Andrei Kobyakov stressed.
As for the measures that can be taken in response to a sharp growth of imports of some products, especially of not Ukrainian origin, the Prime Minister said that it can be measures of economic policy. “It can be licensing or special duties,” the Belarusian head of government added.
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