BELARUS PRIME MINISTER OPENS BELARUSSIAN GOODS EXHIBITION IN RIGA








RIGA, March 7. /RIA Novosti correspondent Anatoly Baranovsky/. Belarus Prime Minister Vladimir Yermoshin on Wednesday took part in a ceremony of opening, in Latvia's capital Riga, an exhibition, Belarus. EXPO-2001, which features products and services of more than 100 Belarussian enterprises.


	The exhibition was arranged as part of Days of Belarussian Economy, now running in Latvia. It is held for the fourth time and is unique for Latvia's post-Soviet history - none of other former Soviet republics holds such economic actions in Latvia.


	Meanwhile, the visit by Yermoshin, initially declared as official, and then as routine, is now called private. According to Dmitry Skurdia, head of the press-service of the Belarussian embassy in Latvia, Yermoshin arrived "on an unofficial visit with the aim of opening the exhibition". 


	Aiva Rosenberga, press-secretary of the Latvian president, told RIA Novosti that no meeting between the Belarussian head of government and Lattish President Vaira Vike-Freiberga has been scheduled.


	Observers believe that Latvian leaders refrain from official contacts with the Belarussian leadership. Indirectly it was acknowledged by Vike-Freiberga, who said in a Latvian radio interview that Latvia supports the position of EU countries and US, which, following the reluctance of Belarussian authorities to pay heed to their recommendations "came to the conclusion that top-level diplomatic contacts would be undesirable". Vike-Freiberga described current Latvia-Belarus relations as being "at diplomatic freezing point".