FOLLOW UP ON BFIF-FUNDED IBP TRAVEL TO CONEXPO

UNCLAS MINSK 000237 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EB/CBA (DWINSTEAD) SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP ABUD BTIO AMGT EAGR EINV ETRD BO SUBJECT: FOLLOW UP ON BFIF-FUNDED IBP TRAVEL TO CONEXPO REF: A) LANE-WINSTEAD 02/26/08 E-MAIL B) STATE 12273 C) MINSK 034 D) STATE 23961 ¶1. BFIF-funded IPB travel to the March 10-14 Conexpo Trade Show generated over a dozen expressions of interest and included the highest number of participants from Belarus to date. Post recruited nine organizations in construction and related businesses which sent a total of twenty representatives to this trade show. Embassy's Pol/Econ Assistant, who led the group to Conexpo, will conduct monthly follow up meetings with participants to gauge and assist their progress with the purchase of American-made products and services. ¶2. The delegation from Belarus included representatives of a well-established heavy industrial equipment manufacturer, the largest cement producer in Belarus, and the main procurement official from the Minsk municipal government. In a post-expo interview with Amkador, the heavy equipment manufacturer, Pol/Econ Assistant learned that the company plans to sign a dealership agreement in early April with U.S. Case, a manufacturer of agricultural and construction equipment. The Minsk City representative expressed interest in purchasing products displayed at Conexpo for recycling asphalt and pavement. ¶3. The total cost of Pol/Econ Assistant's IBP travel to Conexpo was USD 2167.94, which includes USD 1529.70 for air fare and USD 638.24 for M&IE in Las Vegas, U.S. visa, taxi, and insurance. Organizers of the trade show provided complimentary accommodation. Post will fax receipts and other supporting documents for expenditures to Gale Gray. ¶4. As relations between the U.S. and Belarus remain tenuous, post is unlikely to be able to organize a Catalog Show at the Belarus Trade Show in June where we had planned to showcase catalogs from U.S. agricultural machinery manufacturers. In the interest of enabling BFIF to fund other worthy programs, post rescinds its proposal and request for BFIF funding to organize this show. Moore