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Peru eyes free trade agreement with Russia
March 5, 2013, 12:47 pm

PERU

Peru supplies Russia with fish, seafood and lead and Zinc concentrate [Getty Images]

Peruvian authorities have proposed to strike an agreement on free trade with Russia.

Jose Luis Silva, Peru’s minister of foreign commerce and tourism is reported to have sent an official request to the Russian trade ministry.

“The minister has formally communicated the government’s intention to his Russian counterpart and we have met with Russian authorities in the country,” Carlos Posada, the Peruvian vice-minister of foreign trade, said in an interview to Andina news agency.

According to Russia’s ministry of foreign affairs figures, trade turnover between the two countries totaled $726 million in 2012.

Russia exports fertilisers, metal-roll and aircraft equipment to Peru.

Russian arms manufacturers have developed significant new markets in Latin American countries like Peru and Venezuela.

Alexander Fomin, the head of the federal service for military and technical cooperation, spoke earlier in February this year about a “redrawing of the world’s map”.

“We are losing [weapons] markets and gaining new ones at the same time,” Fomin said.

Russia has also become the fourth largest importer of grain to Peru, providing it with 107,200 tons of grain in 2012.

Peru supplies Russia with fish, seafood and lead and Zinc concentrate.

Trade between Russia and Peru has a large potential.

Russian entrepreneurs are willing to help modernise the Peruvian economy, provide machinery, cars and modern technologies.

Russia and Peru already have had a visa-free travel agreement in place since 2010.

Daria Chernyshova