Venezuela, Belarus set up commission to evaluate cooperation

CARACAS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela and Belarus Wednesday set up an extraordinary commission to evaluate the development of their strategic alliance and cooperation agreements in various areas.

The commission, among other issues, would evaluate the cooperation between the two nations in the fields of energy, industry, food, science, technology, house building and military technology..

Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez said the commission would help develop the strategic alliance and boost their cooperation, adding that the two countries have attached great importance to their ties.

In September, Venezuela and Belarus signed 14 cooperation agreements and reviewed 70 others on defense, agriculture and environment preservation.

Source:news.xinhuanet.com/

Belarus is set to finance the research into the wind potential of some 30 areas

By 2020 Belarus plans to reduce the greenhouse emissions by 600 million tonnes in the CO2 equivalent.


Alexander Grebenkov, a climate change expert, told that “From 1995 to 2008 Belarus reduced the greenhouse gas emissions by 134 million tonnes in the CO2 equivalent. From 2008 till 2010 we are going to cut the emissions by another 600 million tonnes.”

The expert noted that Belarus has the reserves and the potential for further reduction of gas emissions. “The carbon intensity of the Belarusian economy is a bit higher than the average one of the industrially developed countries but much lower compared with other transition economies.

The cuts of greenhouse gas emissions could be bigger in Belarus if the country got access to the new technologies and mechanisms of adapting to the climate change within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol.

Until the Belarusian amendment is ratified by the majority of the Kyoto signatories, Belarus will not be able to use these mechanisms, said Sergei Zavyalov, the chief of the special inspectorate of the state control service of the air, ozone layer and climate protection of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Belarus.

The aggregate capacity of the Belarusian energy system is estimated at 8,000MW. The country has limited opportunities in terms of increasing the capacity of its energy system. “For example, we can squeeze 250MW from water resources, and some 8-10MW from landfill gas. We are also considering wind energy projects,” he said. The Ministry of Natural Resources is set to finance the research into the wind potential of some 30 areas.

Electrawinds (Belgium) has inquired about Belarus’ wind velocity with a view to constructing electric plants running on wind energy, meat production waste and other alternative energy.

The republic of Belarus imports about 86% of indispensable fuel and energy resources. Thus about 37% of gross consumption of fuel and energy resources in republic will be utilized in large power engineering (on heat and electric stations and boiler-houses) and about 50% - in housing and municipal quadrants.

In Belarus already is disbursed more halves of own reserves of not renewable energy and materials (for example, oil for 85 %, glass sand - on 60%, building sand, grit and clay for production of a brick - 50-60%).

Technological potential of a wind power in Republic of Belarus

In 1998 "Vetromash", "Goskomgidromed", "Belenergosetproekt" the operations on eliciting possible platforms for installation of wind turbines, and also eliciting of a Belarus wind energy potential were held. The following results were obtained: 1840 platforms with a communal engineering potential in 223 million MWh in a year are detected. An economical potential - 18 million MWh in a year, that
compounds 7% from territory suitable for a wind power.

The forecasts of Government of Republic of Belarus on usage of renewable energy

The forecast of Government of Republic of Belarus concerning usage of renewable energy could be obtained in "Reference directions of power policies of Republic of Belarus on 2001-2005 and on a period up to 2015 year", where is in particular said, the idealized potential of a wind power compounds 1600 MW with an annual development 6,5 million MWh.

But in the present period possible and economically justified the development of a potential in 300-350 MW or 1,0-1,5 million MWh. In Belarus for today the same situation, as well as in Germany in 1960-1970 years is supervised. There, when an industrial wind power only originated, and the powerful ambulances were indispensable, the group of the atomic power scientists has undertaken mining wind energy aggregates. In the total a full fall of the idea of usage of a wind power for the industrial purposes. And only that have picked up the given direction and successfully have advanced in Denmark, it in a consequence began to be developed and in Germany.

BelVetroEnergo LLC is one of the most competent wind energy consulting companies in the Republic of Belarus. The company is one of the founders of the Belarusian renewable energy association.

Source:evwind.es/

Chinese vice premier vows to enhance trade cooperation with Belarus

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (R) shakes hands with Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko during their meeting in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 17, 2009. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)
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BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday vowed to advance the level of economic and trade cooperation with Belarus.

"We would work with Belarus to promote the sustainable growth of our economy," Li told Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko.

After 17 years of diplomatic ties, the two nations, as good friends and partners, enjoyed remarkable development of bilateral relations, with increasing pragmatic cooperation in various fields and profound friendship between the two peoples, Li said.

Despite the global economic downturn, China-Belarus trade links still witnessed dynamic development, with stable growth of trade, gradual operation of large investment projects and effective cooperation, Li said.

"This gives a strong impetus to the development of China-Belarus relationship," he said.

China was ready to work with Belarus to speed up the fulfillment of cooperation agreements and increase coordination to provide a sound environment for the development of businesses from both sides, he said.

Andreichenko said Belarus would work with China to increase cooperation.

After the meeting, Li and Andreichenko witnessed the signing of a framework agreement between the Export-Import Bank of China and the Belarus government on enhancing long-term comprehensive cooperation.

The agreement covered financing of 14 investment projects between the two nations in energy, construction, transport, communication and other fields, sources with the bank said.

Andreichenko was on an official goodwill visit to China from Dec. 14 to 17 at the invitation of Wu Bangguo, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

Source:news.xinhuanet.com/

Belarus FM wants Austria to help promote ties with EU

VIENNA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Belarusian Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov expressed hope here Thursday that Austria could play an important role to help promote the relationship between Belarus and the European Union (EU).

Martynov, who is now visiting Austria, said after holding talks with his Austrian counterpart Michael Spindelegger that the bilateral relations were "good and special".

He believed that Austria could not only play "an important role" in Eastern Europe, but could also be "an important factor" to help Belarus improve ties with the EU.

Spindelegger also pointed out that there was "good cooperation" between Austria and Belarus. Both sides "agree on actively intensifying the cooperation between the two countries".

Martynov criticized a recent EU decision to prolong sanctions against the government of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko for what it called a lack of progress on democratic reforms.

In November, the EU extended for another year an assets freeze against officials in Lukashenko's government, although it temporarily suspended other sanctions, including a travel ban on senior Belarusian officials.

Martynov said the decision was contradictory and "based on double standards".

On the issue of the death penalty, Martynov said it was introduced in Belarus by a referendum, representing the wishes of the majority of citizens.

Martynov's visit to Austria is the first official visit of a Belarusian senior official to Austria in 10 years. He will also meet Austrian Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Josef Proll on Thursday afternoon.

Source:news.xinhuanet.com/

Berlusconi to visit Belarus Monday: envoy

MINSK) - Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will visit Belarus on Monday, the Italian ambassador was quoted by state media as saying Tuesday, after the EU decided to upgrade ties with the ex-Soviet state.

"Belarus and Italy... could in the near future make a major breakthrough in mutually-advantageous cooperation, which the upcoming November 30 visit to Minsk of Silvio Berlusconi shows," state news agency Belta quoted Ambassador Giulio Prigioni as saying.

If confirmed, Berlusconi would be one of the only Western leaders to travel to Belarus since President Alexander Lukashenko came to power in 1994 and was later dubbed by the United States "the last dictator in Europe."

Word of the Berlusconi visit came after European Union nations on November 17 agreed to seek improved ties with Belarus, and refrained from enforcing a travel ban on its leaders.

Source:eubusiness.com

Italy's Berlo ends Belarus isolation with visit

MINSK: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will become the first Western leader in a decade to visit Belarus when he travels there this month,marking another milestone in the ex-Soviet country's efforts to open to the EU.

Contacts between Minsk and Western countries became limited from the second half of the 1990s onwards, due to frequent criticism of human rights and democratic standards in Belarus from European and US governments and rights groups. But Minsk has improved relations with the West, releasing imprisoned opposition politicians and joining the EU's eastern neighbourhood programme with other ex-Soviet states.

At the same time, its relations with close ally Moscow have deteriorated. Earlier this year, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko broke through the period of isolation by making an official visit to Italy and has since said he wants to further improve ties with the West. Now, Berlusconi will make a reciprocal visit on Nov. 30, Belarussian state news agency BelTA quoted Italy's ambassador to Minsk, Giulio Prigioni, as saying.

"This visit is a response to the visit of Alexander Lukashenko in Italy and the Vatican this spring," said Prigioni. "Belarus and Italy are at a very important stage of intensification of relations... this is proved by the forthcoming visit of Silvio Berlusconi to Minsk on 30 November," he said. In early November, the EU prolonged a freeze on restrictions against Belarus as an incentive for further reforms.

The controls, including a visa ban against Lukashenko, were imposed after criticism of 2006 elections. Following Lukashenko's visit to Rome earlier this year, Italy has advocated the complete abolition of sanctions against Belarus. Berlusconi will travel to Minsk days after a visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, where he is expected to sign a customs union deal with Belarus and Kazakhstan. The three countries are trying to coordinate entry to the World Trade Organisation.


Source:indiatimes.com

Belarusian Parliamentarians To Visit South Ossetia, Abkhazia

MINSK -- A group of Belarusian lawmakers will travel to Georgia and its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to decide if they should have parliamentary discussions about the recognizing the regions as independent states, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports.

Syarhey Matskevich, the chairman of the parliamentary International Affairs Commission, told journalists on November 5 that the group will meet with Georgian officials in Tbilisi and visit its breakaway regions from November 17-20. He said the parliamentary group will also hold talks on the issue with members of the Russian State Duma in Moscow.

Matskevich said that after the visit the commission will decide if it is necessary to hold a debate in parliament over the possible recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. Russia recognized the two Georgian regions after a five-day war with Georgian forces in August 2008.

Nicaragua and Venezuela have in recent months also recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Moscow has pressured Minsk to also recognize the regions as independent, though the European Union has sought to keep Belarus from taking such a move.

The EU is scheduled to discuss lifting sanctions against Belarus on November 16, one day before the Belarusian delegation travels to Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Source:rferl.org