A visit of the Turkish businessmen to the Vitebsk Free Economic Zone is expected to be organized till the end of 2010. The sides discussed the future visit during a visit of the Vitebsk FEZ Administration to Turkey in April this year, it was learnt from Sergei Yurkevich, deputy head of the Vitebsk FEZ Administration.

“During the meetings with Turkish businessmen we have discussed the possibility of their visit to the Vitebsk Oblast during this year,” Sergei Yurkevich said. The Turkish businessmen are expected to get familiar with the investment potential of the Vitebsk FEZ and its resident-companies. The Belarusian side will present projects on setting up the joint companies with the participation of Turkish capital.

It is the first time the Vitebsk FEZ Administration has appealed to the Turkish business community for the investment cooperation. During the visit to Turkey, the Vitebsk delegation participated in the Belarus-Turkey Business Forum which was organized by the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) and the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (HURSIAD). The Belarusian delegation including representatives of the Mogilev Free Economic Zone met with governors of the Turkish cities of Gaziantep, Samsun, Amasijah, the leadership of the chambers of commerce and industry of these cities. Members of the Belarusian delegation visited the Turkish companies of the light and food industry, producers of packaging materials and furniture. Within the framework of the Belarus-Turkey Business Forum, the Belarusian side made presentations of the Vitebsk FEZ and the Mogilev FEZ, discussed the prospects and potential of the bilateral cooperation, the possible avenues of business cooperation.

The visit of the Belarusian delegation was organized by the Belarusian Embassy in Turkey.

The Vitebsk FEZ was founded in August 1999. There are 34 residents in the free economic zone. The majority of them are engaged in the engineering and woodworking areas, food, chemical, fuel and light industries. The FEZ total personnel reach 8,000 professionals. The FEZ Vitebsk territory exceeds 1,200 hectares.

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