The official delegation of Republic of Belarus with S.S.Sidorskiy, Prime Minister, as its head visited St.Petersburg on February 27.
The major event of the visit was a session of the Council for Business Cooperation of St.Petersburg Government and the Government of Republic of Belarus, under the chairmanship of Valentina Matvienko, Governor of St.Petersburg, and S.S.Sidorskiy, Prime Minister of Republic of Belarus.
During the session, a discussion was held devoted to the current issues of St.Petersburg cooperation with the cities and areas of Republic of Belarus, focused on trade and economic cooperation, particularly, the extension of Belarusian foodstuffs shops network to St.Petersburg.
As a result of the session, a protocol was signed, as well a joint program of cooperation of the Government of Republic of Belarus and the Government of St.Petersburg, Russian Federation for 2009-2011, in the areas of trade, economy, science, technologies, and humanitarian problems, elaborated and approved within the confines of the Agreement on Cooperation effective now.
The program clauses define the basic guidelines of developing the cooperation with Belarus for the term specified almost in all areas.
The emphasis of the economy part of the program is made on cooperation in high-tech industries, the increase of the supply of St.Petersburg industrial enterprises for Belarus, and the modernization of Belarusian enterprises.
The delegation also visited St.Petersburg Physics and Technology Center for Research and Education at the Russian Academy of Sciences, and a round table was run by Belarus and St.Petersburg delegations concerning the scientific cooperation.
Source: Committee for External Relations of St.Petersburg