Belarusian president to visit Sudan soon

Feb 20, 2007 (MINSK) — Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is going to pay an official visit to Sudan in the near future, reported the Belarusian news agency Belapan.

Official sources quoted the Belarusian president as saying this at a meeting with the speaker of the National Assembly of Sudan, Ahmed Ibrahim al-Tahir, on 20 February.

Lukashenka said at the meeting that the visit by the Sudanese delegation to Belarus will contribute to boosting relations between the two countries. “Sudan occupies a certain place” in Belarus’s foreign political and economic strategy, the Belarusian president stressed.

Lukashenka also said that Belarus is closely watching the situation in Sudan and processes taking place in there.

On the other hand, Belarusian Foreign Minister Syarhey Martynaw and the visiting speaker of the National Assembly of Sudan discussed prospects for boosting bilateral cooperation today.

The contractual basis of bilateral Belarusian-Sudanese relations is at the stage of formation at present.

An intergovernmental agreement on military and technical cooperation, a protocol on cooperation in energy, industry and trade, an interstate agreement on trade, investment and scientific and technical cooperation and a memorandum of understanding between the foreign ministries have been signed so far.

The delegation of Sudan will have meetings with Belarusian officials and will visit several companies during its visit.

(ST)