During an official visit to Norway from January 28 to February 2 1996, at the invitation of the Norwegian Industrial and Regional Development Fund, SND, a delegation from the state enterprise Foreign Trade House Agrointorg, Moscow, Russia, headed by its General Director, Mr. I. N. Diakov, and SND, Oslo, Norway, in the person of its General Director, Mr. Tore Tønne, have signed the present protocol for the following:
The delegation visited the Norwegian companies Global
Fish AS and Vartdal in Ålesund, and the wood-processing
and logging company Moelven Brug AS and Biri.
The delegation met with the Mr. Frode Alhaug, Chairman
of the Board, SND, and Mr. Tore Tønne, President, SND,
and other high ranking officials from the SND and from the Norwegian
business community, as well as with representatives of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Norway, the Norwegian Export Council, Christiania
Bank and Handelsbank. All the above meetings were organised and
attended by SND.
SND has brought up and Agrointorg took note
of the problems connected with the Rossnor project in Archangelsk.
Agrointorg kindly offers to advise the Norwegian partners in the
project on legal matters.
The delegation also conducted extensive talks
with the First Secretary of the Norwegian Trade Union Movement (LO),
Mr. Jan Balstad.
Agrointorg and SND exchanged views on a wide range
of possible co-operation in various fields of trade and production,
especially in fisheries and forestry.
The parties have agreed that with the assistance
of SND, Agrointorg authorised by the government of Moscow to implement
an important programme of evenly stocking and supplying the city
and its region (17m consumers) with these products, will be able
to find reliable partners on the Norwegian fish market.
As a first concrete step in this sphere, Agrointorg under
the auspices of SND signed a contract with Global Fish AS for the
delivery of 1 200 tonnes of mackerel and herring during the month
of February 1996. Another contract for a first trial delivery to
Moscow of 20 tonnes of saithe was signed with Vartdal.
A framework contract with Global Fish AS for
deliveries to Moscow of 10.000 tonnes of red fish, capelin, mackerel
and herring during 1996 may also serveas a proof of commercial ties
which have been just established between Agrointorg and Norwegian
fishing Companies.
SND confirms its readiness to render Agrointorg assistance
in its search for Norwegian partners for futher promotion of Norwegian
fish products to the market of the city of Moscow and Russia.
At the meetings in the SND, Agrointorg informed about
Agrointorg"s investments into saw-milling and wood-processing
enterprises in Ustiyansk (Archangelsk Region). Equipment for this
venture was supplied by a Norwegian company. The Ustiyansk saw mill
has already commenced producing planks for export. To make these
products more competetive and up to West- European Standards, Agrointorg
plans further investments in the two-three boilers, drying chambers,
sorting equipment, better packing technology, barking machines and
more advanced deep wood-processing machinery.
To help Agrointorg implement these plans SND kindly
offers its assistance in presenting to Agrointorg some Norwegian
companies engaged in manufactoring, supplying and/or installing
the mentioned equipment. On the basis of the new technologies. Agrointorg would
be able to manufacture plinths, window-frames, cornices, parquet,
surfaced planks, doors, etc., which are in high demand on Moscow
and Russian markets.
Agrointorg further plans purchases of harvesters necessary
for the Ustiyansk project. At the meetings in SND, Agrointorg expressed
its interest in buying from a Russian-Norwegian company second-hand
equipment currently located on the station of Vanino (Far East,
Russia).
SND kindly gave its agreement to help Agrointorg
in further contacts with the firm wich owns this equipment. In case
of contracts being obtained, SND will consider the possibilities
of co-financing.
Co-operation and educational support with regard
to Trade Unions activities were furthermore discussed at meeting
with LO.
The parties agreed on the following:
1. Agrointorg and SND
are on a mutual basis interested in developing co-operation in the
fields of forestry and fishing and possible SND support financing.
2. Agrointorg invites a delegation from
SND to visit Moscow and Ustiyansk region to evaluate the Ustiyansk
project and work out a proper programme for transfer of technology
and expertise.
3. Agrointorg undertakes to support SND
with consultancy and technical advice with regards to other possible
engagements and projects in Russia.
4. SND on its part would do otherwise in
Norway, as well as promote Agrointorg on the Norwegian Market, and
present possible, reliable partners.