Belarussian President visits Turkmenistan

Turkmen-Belarussian trade and economic cooperation does not meet real possibilities of the two countries, said the Belarussian and Turkmen Presidents, Alexander Lukashenko, currently on a visit to Turkmenistan, and Saparmurat Niyazov. In 2001 the trade turnover between the two countries totaled 13 million dollars. Belarus is ranked the 26th place among Turkmenistan's foreign trade partners. The presidents are expected to sign the Treaty on friendship and cooperation, the Treaty on trade and economic cooperation till 2010 and agreements on air communication and evasion of double taxation as part of the first-ever visit by the Belarussian president to Turkmenistan. According to the agreements, during the next 8 years Turkmenistan will annually purchase in Belarus 2,000 MTZ-80 tractors, 1,000 20-ton MAZ lorries and 50 40-ton BELAZ cars. Belarus intends to buy cotton, jeans and oil-processing products in Turkmenistan.