BREST, 3 October (BelTA) – Poland considers Belarus as a strategic partner in the area of transport and logistics, BelTA learned from Vice Prime Minister, Economy Minister of Poland Janusz Piechocinski on 2 October.

Janusz Piechocinski stressed that his meeting with Vice Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail Rusyi in Brest earlier on 2 October had been sincere and friendly and had confirmed the good relations between the countries. "We consider Belarus as a strategic partner in the sphere of transport and logistics. We know that Belarus shows interest in the opportunities that Polish ports offer. Apart from that, during the meeting we paid close attention to matters concerning the crossing of the Belarusian-Polish border. The procedure should be comfortable for businessmen and other persons, who visit our countries. In particular, we discussed the possibility of amending the border-crossing procedure using what Ukraine did for the duration of Euro 2012 as an example," he said.

Apart from discussing the development of trade relations the meeting also focused on the expansion of manufacturing cooperation and the establishment of new processing enterprises. Possibilities of cooperation between banks, industrial associations of the two countries were discussed as well as student exchange programs. "The growing integration in the west in the European Union and in the east in the Eurasian Economic Union cannot prevent good economic and political relations between Poland and Belarus," believes the Vice Prime Minister of Poland.

Janusz Piechocinski stressed that Belarus had done a lot to help resolve the crisis in Ukraine. "At present the situation is complicated to the south of Belarus and to the southeast of Poland. Our government highly appreciates the active and balanced stance of the Belarus government and the Belarusian nation on this matter," noted Janusz Piechocinski. In his words, it is important that Minsk was the venue for the vital negotiations on Ukrainian affairs. "We should do what we can to restore the good scenario for the development of the situation," he added.

"Even in the period of bad political weather in our part of Europe one can look at Belarus and Poland as an example to see the invigoration of political, diplomatic, and economic contacts. The Belarusian side is a rational and pragmatic partner. I would like to state that our countries have a substantial potential for developing cooperation," said Janusz Piechocinski.