Belarus hoping to restore pre-sanctions transshipment volumes via ports by year's end

MINSK. May 22 (Interfax) - Belarus hopes to restore its pre-sanctions volume of transshipped goods via ports by the end of this year, Belarusian Ambassador to Russia Dmitry Krutoi said on the Belarusian state-run television channel Belarus 1 on Monday.

"The ultimate task set by the presidents [of Belarus and Russia] is to bring the volume of transshipped Belarusian goods destined for Baltic ports up to the level which existed before all of these events. The maximum volume is 17 to 18 million tonnes," Krutoi said.

"This is a very serious task for the government. It was being exceeded by around 10%-15% in the first quarter," he said.

"Besides, the president [Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko] stressed at today's meeting that we have good relationships with ports in the northwest. Still, Murmansk and southern and Far Eastern ports should be just as active," Krutoi said.

Krutoi also commented on transit by rail. "This is a matter of sales not only in Russia, but above all in Asia - Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan," he said.

"We have a good flow of goods there, as well. There should be no barriers. We need streamlined, well-structured logistics. The president has asked to focus on the economy. So that the Russian Federation meets us halfway in terms of distances. There are good discounts on many routes, ranging from 10% to 50%, depending on the type of cargo. We need to record and constantly update this information," Krutoi said.