June 6 2006, 15:03 UNIAN

Syria asks Ukraine for export preferences

Syria asks Ukraine to provide it with the preferences for export of the agricultural products, informed Minister of Finances of Syria, Mohamed Al-Hussein.

According to him, last year he raised this question while meeting with the ex-Prime-Minister of Ukraine, Julia Timoshenko, and got a promise to be provided with these preferences, but the situation has not been finished yet.

Minister stressed that this question was very important for the country taking into account its negative balance of trade with Ukraine.

According to State Statistics Committee of Ukraine, Ukrainian-Syrian goods and services trading volume totaled $727.5 mln in 2005, with positive balance for Ukrainian side in $670 mln.