Belarusian Foreign Ministry anxious about EU business interests


The European Union is expected to take into consideration the interests of businesses while making a decision on adopting economic sanctions towards Belarus, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Huryanau told reporters at the press conference in Minsk on March 13, 2012.

«In modern foreign trading the instrument of economic sanctions and restrictions is not suitable and efficient,» Mr. Huryanau said. In his view, Belarus will regret if economic sanctions have been imposed by the European Union, «especially considering that the EU itself has suffered from economic problems.»

The Deputy Minister reminded that there are close and productive trade relations between Belarus and the EU. According to him, in 2011, the volume of Belarus-EU trade totaled $25 bn, with Belarus having an export surplus of $7.5 bn. He added that the EU’s share in Belarus’ total exports increased to 39% from 30% in 2010.

Mr. Huryanau stressed that during the 2009-2010 crisis, Belarus did not put a stop to trade relations with EU. From whence he concluded that some European businesses «practically survived due to the contracts made with Belarus.»

Belsat

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