Belaruas and Kazahstan refused to support Russia's ban on imports from the EU

Belaruas and Kazahstan refused to support Russia’s ban on imports from the EU

August 12, 2014

Putin has been left alone

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko refused to support Russi’a ban on food import from countries that have imposed sanctions against Russia.

‘If we need Polish apples – we buy them, not for Russia but for internal market, – Lukashenko said. – If we need some German delicacies – we also but them for consumption in the country. Is we need to recycle something – we buy it and recycle’.

Lukashenko assured that import products will not pass to Russian through Belarus: the President promised this to Putin.

However, according to the data from Belstat during the five months of the year 2014 the following amount of products was supplied to Russia: Belorussian lemons for $ 1.7 million, Belorussian bananas for $ 183 000, Belorussian pineapples for $ 37 000, Belorussian nuts (coconut, Brazilian, cashew and almonds) for $ 1.8 million, Belorussian mussels for $ 792 000, Belorussian octopus for $ 449 000.

The other Russia’s partner in the Customs Union – Kazakhstan – keeps to the same position as Belarus. The press service of president Nursultan Nazarbayev said after telephone conversation with Putin: ‘It [the ban on import of agricultural products] is Russia’s unilateral measure, it doesn’t presuppose the involvement of the other countries – members of the Customs Union and Common Economic Space (CES)’.

Source: UNIAN.UA