Friendship is one thing and business another

Belarus continues to develop of Iranian vector of the foreign policy. Alyaksandr Lukashenka says Minsk has no obstacles for close cooperation with Iran. However, the government confesses the planned Belarusian-Iranian economic projects show slow progress, “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” notes.

“We have no reticence or problems in relations with Iran. The main foundation of them is trade and economic cooperation,” Lukashenka appraised the state of the bilateral relations at a meeting with Iranian Minister of Industry and Mines Ali-Akbar Mehrabian on Thursday.

The Iranian delegation had a meeting with the head of the Belarusian government last evening. Minsk expects the Iranian side to execute the joint project more actively, the press service of the Council of Ministers of Belarus said on the results of the meeting. “It’s time projects in both Iran and in Belarus got under way,” Syarhei Sidorski, head of the Belarusian government, said. The immediate actions are needed.

The “NG” said earlier, Belarus and Iran agreed on two big projects execution. Assembling of Samand Irani cars is to be launched in Belarus, and Jofair oilfield is to be developed in Iran. These two projects didn’t get on since the signing due to the fault of Iran. So, a package of documents on assembling Samand cars in Belarus near Minsk was signed last year. There was a memorandum that Iran Khodro automobile holding was to buy 40 per cent stake in Unison and start car bodies producing and painting. But the stake was bought only now, the Iranian Minister of Industry and Mines said after his meeting with the head of the Belarusian government. The parties agreed car bodies producing and painting to be started from 1 June. A plant with new capacity is supposed to be opened in the beginning of 2010. It is planned to produce about 60 thousand cars per year and sell them on the inner market in Belarus as well as in Russia and the CIS countries.

“We have agreed on acceleration of oil project execution in Iran,” the press service of the Belarusian government quoted Ali-Akbar Mehrabian, speaking about the execution prospects. According to him, the project should be approved by the Iranian Economic Commission. It was said earlier, that Belarus is to get first Iranian oil this year. It is planned to produce about 40 barrels per day.

Local experts explain the delay of Iranian investors by distrust in investment climate in Belarus. They note there are more talks on friendship and cooperation with Iran, Venezuela, China and others, than investments from these countries. China, in particular, offers loans, but doesn’t hurry to invest, because there are no effective projects, local experts state. Non-reformed state-run enterprises and “red” directors, who cant’ take decision by themselves, are incapable for creative ideas and risk, they say.