On July 26, Minsk /BELTA/. Syria expects to implement projects in the field of mechanical engineering in Belarus, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Syria to Belarus Farouk Taha told reporters today, as reported by a BELTA correspondent. In particular, according to the ambassador, the Syrian side is interested in Belarusian buses and agricultural machinery. In general, based on the results of the two-day visit of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Belarus, which began today, trade turnover between the countries is planned to be increased. Farouk Taha also noted that Syria and Belarus are linked by a long-standing friendship. The visit of the country's president to Belarus is the first, and therefore, to some extent, historic. Agreements covering various areas are planned to be reached. As the head of the Syrian diplomatic mission emphasized, the legal framework for further cooperation between the two countries was established by the visit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to Syria, which took place in 2003. Belarusian-Syrian trade and economic cooperation is steadily developing. Trade turnover between Belarus and Syria increased from $2.1 million in 1999 to $85.5 million in 2008. Last year, it amounted to $57.7 million. At the same time, Belarusian exports to this country reached $55.4 million, and imports from Syria amounted to $2.2 million. The main items of Belarusian exports include automotive and tractor equipment, skimmed milk powder, and synthetic filament yarns. Fruits and vegetables, fabrics, paper products, medicines, and aluminum tape are imported from Syria.

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