OREANDA-NEWS. July 21, 2009. The Samara oblast of Russia attaches great importance to the strengthening of business and cultural links between the region and the brotherly Belarusian people, Samara oblast Governor Vladimir Artyakov said as he met with Vice-Premier of Belarus Ivan Bambiza, reported the Official website government.by.

The meeting was held within the framework of the two-day visit of the Belarusian delegation to the Samara oblast. The delegation includes representatives of Belarus’ major companies such as Belkommunmash, Gomselmash, Belfa, Mempex, Slonim Dairy, Volkovysk-based Bellakt, Neman glassworks.

Vladimir Artyakov suggested devising a plan to create joint production facilities, expanding the industrial production and manufacture of farm machines. “Our partnership relations can help us mitigate the impact of the crisis and bring our trade and economic cooperation onto a higher level. We propose our business partners to take part in investment projects. This can be cooperation in agricultural production, development of transportation system and infrastructure, projects in high-technology machinery construction, innovation, small and medium-sized business, education, tourism and many others,” said the governor.

The sides need to support joint interests, Ivan Bambiza said in response. “We have several proposals which we will discuss during the visit. Our goal is to find those areas which will be of interest to our partners. We are, for example, interested in the electronics for cattle-breeding farms. We intend to adopt the experience of the Samara oblast. Purchasing the equipment from the Samara oblast will cost us cheaper than from the West. We are also developing cooperation in the utilities economy, agricultural complex and trade. We intend to establish direct contacts, which will benefit the two sides,” Ivan Bambiza said.

“Our Belarusian friends have always been the most reliable, close in spirit, promising partners. It is easy for us to find common ground. The visit of the Belarusian delegation shows that our partnership relations are developing rapidly and progressively,” the governor of the Samara oblast stressed.