Relations Between Belarus, Iraq to Get More Dynamic Says Voitovich :: Charter'97 :: News

Satisfaction over the rates of trade-economic cooperation between Belarus and Iraq was shared on February 26 by the chairman of the “council of the republic” Alexander Voitovich in course of his encounter with the Iraqi ambassador in Belarus Salman Zeidan. The successfulness of their economic cooperation, he said, is partially explained by the active work of the joint commission on trade-economic cooperation, the fifth session of which took place in Baghdad in late December. During the meetings in the diverse Iraqi ministries Belarusian side signed contracts, worth overall around $80mln.

According to the statistics, prepared by the “council of the republic’s” secretariat, cooperation between two counties is being carried out within the sanctions of the UN Security Council. SC resolutions define conditions of shipment to Iraq of foodstuffs, medications, as well as materials for the most urgent civil needs within the export-import program “Oil in exchange for food and medications”. Official statistics claims that in the year 2002 Belarusian export to Iraq exceeded $32mln with absolutely no import.

Outlining Belarus’ own vision of the Iraqi problem, the speaker of the parliament’s upper chamber underscored that Belarus views Iraq as a totally sovereign and independent state; Iraq must cooperate with the United Nations Organizations on the fulfillment of the concomitant resolutions and any further actions, undertaken by the world community against Iraq must be carried out in full compliance with the UN and UN Security Council. “We believe that they got to find peaceful resolution of the problem,” – said Alexander Voitovich.