Lukashenka upbeat on prospects for cooperation with India :: Charter'97 :: News

Alyaksandr Lukashenka on Monday expressed certainty that Belarus and India had "bright prospects" for cooperation. "I`m sure that our fruitful cooperation with India will always be a subject of pride," official information sources quoted him as saying at a reception given by Indian President Abdul Kalam in New Delhi.

The Belarusian leader reportedly stressed that the two countries shared views on many issues concerning multilateral and bilateral cooperation, and emphasized the importance of India`s role in the world arena.

Mr. Lukashenka expressed a high opinion of the results of his talks in New Delhi, saying that he attached a particular importance to the strengthening of stable and mutually beneficial relations with India, which he described as one of Belarus` priority economic partners in Asia.

Mr. Kalam, for his part, noted that India viewed Minsk as a close ally, adding that Mr. Lukashenka`s visit would contribute to closer ties between the two countries.

The Belarusian and Indian leaders adopted a joint declaration outlining promising areas of bilateral cooperation. The document emphasizes the importance of new projects in the spheres of trade, economy, investment and scientific research, and declares the countries` intention to step up cooperation in peaceful nuclear power programs and set up a joint commission on military and technical cooperation.

The talks also yielded a Belarusian-Indian protocol on Belarus` accession to the World Trade Organization, a cooperation agreement between the agriculture ministries, a 2007-2009 interstate program of cooperation in the spheres of culture, art, education and the media, and a 2007-2010 program of scientific cooperation.

Messrs. Lukashenka and Kalam shared the opinion that bilateral trade should reach $500 million by 2010, according to official information sources.

The Belarusian leader left India later on Monday and arrived in Minsk early on April 17, concluding his three-day Asian tour that also included a state visit to Oman. //BelaPAN