Siamashka has private talks with KAMAZ

A Belarusian delegation led by first deputy prime minister Uladzimir Siamashka has held talks with Russian KAMAZ.

The KAMAZ press service reports that the delegation included industry minister Dzmitry Katarynuch, MAZ general director Viktar Asnouski, first deputy head of the State Property Committee Siarhei Piatkou.

The delegation was met by KAMAZ general director Sergei Kogogin, director of development Irek Gumerov, deputy director general for purchasing Rustam Shamsutdinov in Naberezhnye Chelny on May 15. The Russian party was also represented by deputy prime minister of Tatarstan Ravil Zaripov and representative of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade Renat Milkamanavichus.

Representatives of Belarus are reported to have visited the engine plant and Russian-American joint venture Cummins KAMA. The delegation visited the cylinder block line, the diesel engine assembly line, crankshaft and front axle line at the forge plant, KAMAZ's main line and the company's scientific and technical centre exhibiting a product line of KAMAZ heavy trucks.

The talks were held behind closed doors. It is only reported that the parties discussed a possible merger of two truck manufacturers.

It should be reminded that Lukashenka said in his recent address to the “parliament” and people that he doubted the expediency of the merger of Belarusian MAZ and Russian KAMAZ.

“There are idle talks about privatisation of MAZ and KAMAZ. Come with proposals and get support. People come to me and I ask them: What will we get from the merger, corporisation and transferring shares for nothing? We have markets. We have production. Our MAZ trucks are not worse than KAMAZ,” he noted.