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Industry ministers of Belarus, Russia discuss link-up between MAZ, KamAZ

The industry ministers of Belarus and Russia met earlier this month to discuss efforts to speed up the establishment of Rosbelavto, a Belarusian-Russian holding company that would control Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) and Russia’s truck company KamAZ.

Belarusian minister Dzmitry Katsyarynich and his Russian counterpart, Denis Manturov, agreed that a number of organizational issues had to be solved before the link-up deal could be sealed.

"We should actively cooperate to enter a new level in the sphere of industry and expand integration between our countries," the Russian industry ministry's press office quoted Mr. Manturov as saying.

An agreement was reached at the meeting that a joint strategy may be drawn up to develop the two countries' machine-tool industries. The possible development of cooperation in the manufacture of agricultural machinery, as well as closer ties in the defense, electronic and steel industries were also under discussion.

Speaking on January 15, Uladzimir Syamashka, Belarus' first deputy prime minister, explained that the link-up had stalled in part because of Russia's efforts to have the value of MAZ revised downward.

In addition, Mr. Syamashka accused Russia of "trying to usurp power" in the management of Rosbelavto. In particular, he said, Moscow pushed for appointing a Russian as director general and a Russian as the supervisory board's head. "Any decision would be made in favor of the Russian side. We say no. There should be rotation. If there is a Russian director general, then there should be a Belarusian head of the supervisory board. That would be fair," Mr. Syamashka said. //BelaPAN