There are no obstacles for the operation of the Russian Sberbank in Belarus, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Chairman of the Board of Sberbank of the Russian Federation German Gref on December 2. “There are no barriers for the operation of your bank in Belarus,” the President said. “We have long-standing relations and we have always had understanding,” Alexander Lukashenko said addressing German Gref. The Belarusian Head of State said that Sberbank of Russia is a leading and one of the largest banks in the country. “We are interested in attracting resources from the Russian Federation, from the Central Bank of Russia with which you are directed linked, especially during the global financial crisis when we are trying to find additional resources to support the national currency and to finance the economy,” Alexander Lukashenko said. The President said that the financial crisis has had little impact on Belarus’ stock market and currency. Belarusian exporters, however, are affected by the falling demand on the foreign market. The Russian Sberbank intends to come to Belarus as a strategic partner, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Sberbank German Gref noted during his meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. “In terms of the size, Sberbank is too big for the market of one state. The Supervisory Board of the Bank has approved the five-year development concept which envisages increased activity of the Bank in the international arena. The priorities are three CIS countries: Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan,” German Gref said. “We have sent an official request to consider the possibilities for the Bank to enter the Belarusian market,” German Gref noted. The Russian Sberbank intends to arrive in Belarus as a strategic partner, he added. He noted that the forthcoming year will be rather difficult. There is a need “to coordinate efforts to prevent the negative impact of the global financial crisis”. “We have received polticial approval of our work in the CIS countries including in Belarus. We hope that our cooperation will be long-term and efficient,” the Chairman of the Board of the Russian Sberbank said. He underscored that the economies of Belarus and Russia should be “interconnected by a great many threads which will produce a positive effect in various areas of the cooperation”. БЕЛТА
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