The Ar-Be Armenian-Belarusian trading house, a joint Belarusian-Armenian company, has been established in Yerevan, it was learnt from the spokeswoman for the Belgospischeprom concern Irina Guseva. The relevant documents have been signed in Yerevan.

The company will deliver products of the Belgospischeprom companies to the Armenian market, and export the alcoholic beverages in particular.

The Belarusian founders of the company are Minsk Kristall, the Vitebsk and Gomel distilleries, Akvadiv, and the Belgospischeprom trading house. The Armenian founder is the Multi Group Concern. The concern brings together 34 Armenian companies.

The statutory funds of the new company total $365,000. Some 54.8% of them belong to the Multi Group Concern; the Belarusian shares are divided between the distilleries and the Belgospischeprom trading house.

The Multi Group Concern allocates on a non-payable basis trading and warehouse premises to the total square of 6,000 square meters for the would-be trading house.

At the beginning the Ar-Be trading house will specialize in wholesaling and retailing of Belarusian vodka and other distilled beverages. The company is also planning to deliver Belarusian meat and dairy products, confectionery, flour, TV sets, refrigerators, clothes, footwear, cosmetics, furniture and bathroom equipment in future.

The Republic of Armenia is the traditional producer and exporter of alcoholic beverages. The major export items are cognacs and wines.

According to experts, the distilled beverages constitute 64% of the alcohol imported to Armenia. The export of vodka has doubled recently. Armenia imports vodka from the CIS and Western Europe. The volume of the European vodka has dwindled lately. The main exporters of alcoholic beverages to Armenia are Russia (more than 50%), Ukraine (25%), and Great Britain (6.45%).