Magadan Region Governor doesn’t view distance as obstacle to co-operation

During a conversation with journalists after today’s meeting with President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko, the Governor of Russia’s Magadan Region, Sergei Nosov, said he doesn’t view the long distance between us as an obstacle to the development of co-operation with Belarus

“It’s not an obstacle at all. We are used to it. Our country is huge and our relationships are rooted, if not in the most distant, but definitely in the past. We are pleased to arrive in Belarus with an official delegation now. I would like to note that Belarus is present in the Magadan Region, and I’m convinced that after this visit, its presence will only expand,” the Russian governor noted.

According to Sergei Nosov, co-operation in the field of heavy machinery is the most promising area of economic interaction.

“Belarusian machine building is well-known, and everyone is aware of the famous BelAZ vehicles and BELARUS tractors. We are a mining region, and now Japanese and US equipment – purchased by our gold mining companies earlier, including in stock – is being replaced. We believe that the presence of the Belarusian machine building industry can be increased by 40-50 percent. It will be the right thing to do. It will be great. We have no doubt about the quality. The question is how to organise both deliveries and, most importantly, service,” Mr. Nosov noted.

The Russian governor expects a prompt deployment of active co-operation in this area.

“Everything depends on our diligence and promptness. If the President takes control of the actions of the Belarusian Government – and I understand that this control will be – then for our part, we will try to make sure that we move as quickly as possible. From my point of view, it will take two or three years. We can’t set long deadlines,” Mr. Nosov asserted.

He once again drew attention to the importance of the service maintenance not only in Magadan, but also directly at the deposits. At the same time, he suggested to use the potential of those companies that once received licenses to service Caterpillar and Komatsu equipment, “These are licenses for full restoration of components. Not just a replacement, but complete restoration, including hard facing, polishing, and adjustment. We have a whole special complex built for this purpose. Together with Belarusian companies, it will be possible to switch there very quickly [to servicing Belarusian equipment]. We will discuss this further in the government and with companies.”

The Magadan delegation also plans to visit Gomel’s Kristall Production Association.

“It’s interesting to see. The company is well-known. We have companies that do not just mine gold, but represent a full cycle from geological exploration, gold mining to jewellery making… Co-operation may seem interesting for our manufacturers,” Mr. Nosov suggested.

The Russian governor also highly appreciated the MTZ vehicles which prove themselves useful both in municipal and agricultural sectors. Cereals don’t ripen in the harsh Magadan Region, but feed and root crops grow well, and the region fully provides itself with them. Therefore, Belarusian agricultural machinery is also in demand here.

Sergei Nosov shared warm memories of how he lived in a village near Brest for a while as a child. He carried the impressions of visiting the Brest Fortress through his whole life. Therefore, he sees an important educational component in the development of cultural and tourist exchange.

“This is not only sanatorium-resort recreation and health improvement. This summer, children from the Magadan Region will recuperate in a Belarusian sanatorium. I think that excursions to sites such as the Brest Fortress, the Khatyn Memorial, places of partisan glory should be a very important and necessary component. It is extremely vital for children to learn history not from the Internet, but to talk to people who know about it firsthand,” Mr. Nosov underlined.