ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Belarus to Pakistan, Andrei Metelitsa on Sunday said that the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Belarus and Pakistan would be a milestone for bilateral relations.
“During these three decades diplomatic, economic and cultural relations between Pakistan and Belarus have been exemplary,” he said.
The ambassador during an exclusive interview with the APP said this year is a special one for bilateral relations with Pakistan. He added Belarus this year celebrates the 80th anniversary of its liberation from the Nazi invaders.
“July 3, Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus, is the day of liberation of our capital, Minsk, in 1944,” he said.
Replying to a question, he said there is a potential for further development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and Pakistan.
The ambassador said today both countries will take this huge opportunity to trade in various economic sectors, including agriculture, light engineering tractors, textiles, trucks, sports equipment, leather and surgical instruments.
He added that the exports of Belarus to Pakistan include spare parts, tractors, trucks, potash, synthetic fibres, synthetic yarns, tyres, baby food and machine tools.
He said Pakistan’s exports to Belarus are fruits, rice, vegetables, leather products, textiles, fabrics, surgical instruments, sports equipment, and manicure sets.
The Ambassador said, Belarus has never stood aside and always supported Pakistan. He said Minsk is hopeful that its support in the form of humanitarian assistance will help the Pakistani friends affected by destructive floods in June-October 2022.
“The leadership of Belarus is sincerely interested in further strengthening a sustainable friendly partnership with Pakistan in all spheres of mutual interest,” he said.
The envoy added that the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko and the Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the meetings in September and on the sidelines of the SCO in Samarkand and CICA in Astana agreed to enhance the bilateral cooperation.
He said visits of heads of state and government are effective instruments for intensification of cooperation. The diplomat said they normally give impetus for new joint projects and activities.
“We come to the preparation of the Head of State visits thoroughly and proceed from the necessity to ensure its effectiveness, particularly in economic terms,” he said.
He added that as preliminary events to the bilateral summit, the 6th meeting of the Joint Belarusian-Pakistani Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was held in January 2023 and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus paid an official visit to Pakistan in May 2023.
He went on to say several contracts and draft treaties are negotiated by different ministries and companies of Pakistan and Belarus, including the draft roadmap for the facilitation of trade in the next three years.
“We work together in order to prepare these documents for signing during the President’s visit,” he informed.
The ambassador of Belarus expressing his views said the timing, economic content and program of the visit of the Belarusian Head of State to Pakistan will be discussed at political consultations between deputy foreign ministers of both the country on July 2, in Islamabad.
Replying to a question on the Free Trade Agreement between both the nations he said, neither side has proposed a Free Trade or Preferential trade agreement. “If such a proposal is made it will be considered for further negotiations and signing,” he added.
