Who bought up all used Belarusian tractors in New Zealand? Interview with Honorary Consul Stuart Pryor

Even very distant states find common interests. The last program dealt with relations between Belarus and Australia, and today even more remote New Zealand declares its interest in Belarus through the mouth of the honorary consul. Stuart Pryor gave an interview to the "Picture of the World" program at his home in Wellington.

Yuri Koziyatko: Stuart, I noticed a lot of paintings in your house. Are you a creative person?

Stuart Pryor, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Belarus in New Zealand: Yes, to some extent.

Yury Koziyatko: As a creative person, you could repaint the telephone booth that I noticed at your entrance in red and green as a symbol of Belarusian-New Zealand ties.

Stuart Pryor: This will lead to a revolution, because our phone booths have always been only red!

Yury Koziyatko: I think that good Belarusian-New Zealand relations are already a revolution! The countries are so far away, and when Belarus works, New Zealand sleeps, New Zealand works, Belarus sleeps. Not with the help of a phone booth, but even with the help of a mobile phone, it is difficult to maintain relationships in business! But if something works out, then it will be a revolution!

Stuart Pryor: I think it is very important for our countries to find joint projects, because, despite all the differences, our countries are very similar. New Zealand is a bridge to the Pacific region, to Asia, and Belarus is a bridge to Eastern and Central Europe, to RUSSIA.

Yury Koziyatko: Well, first of all, New Zealand sees Belarus as a bridge to Russia, because today a lot of New Zealand oil is sold in Russia. And Russia is a huge, colossal market. This is also very important for Belarus, but we would like bilateral relations to develop as well. What can New Zealand be interested in from Belarus today?

Stuart Pryor: I think the first thing we should be thinking about is the dairy industry. Belarus is a very developed dairy country, and Belarus produces a huge range of dairy products that are supplied to Russia. And New Zealand is also a dairy superpower. Therefore, dialogue can be built precisely in this area, understandable to both countries.

Yury Koziyatko: It turns out that we are competitors on the Russian market, Belarusian and New Zealand dairy products. How can this competition be turned into a partnership? 

Stuart Pryor: The fact is that most of the New Zealand products are delivered to Russia without a brand: in bulk as raw materials. And Belarus supplies many products that are already branded, with brand names, not just butter and MILK powder , as our country does. And Belarus knows better how to please Russian consumers. But there are interesting scientific developments in New Zealand that could be of interest to Belarusian colleagues. Also, New Zealand could help Belarus develop dynamic relationships with Asian partners for the supply of dairy products. For example, in CHINA. And there will be no competitive obstacles, since Belarus produces some dairy products that New Zealand does not produce and is not going to produce. If we look more globally, both of our countries have common competitors in the world - these are the European Union and the United States . And New Zealand has been fighting, I'm not afraid of the word, heroically fighting the EU for 50 years. Because both Europe and America, unfortunately, use special tactics against small exporting countries. Even in relations between Belarus and Russia, there were moments when dairy products were banned under the pretext of sanitary violations. Therefore, small countries need to unite and work together. This is a very intelligent and smart decision.

Yuri Koziyatko: You worked as New Zealand Ambassador to Russia, you know history well. We were driving in a car and I heard you listening to the poem "Borodino", Russian songs, I saw many historical paintings in your house. You, of course, know who Ivan Susanin is?

Stuart Pryor: Yes.

Yuri Koziyatko: That is, you want Belarus to be a good guide, who will not lead you into a swamp, like Ivan Susanin, but who will bring you to the Russian market as a respectable partner.

Stuart Pryor: Good analogy! And I also know Russia quite well: I worked as an ambassador in Moscow and was a diplomat back in the days of the USSR - I have been associated with this country for 40 years! And the Belarusians are decent people, and this is important, because the stability of the partnership is what New Zealand needs to work with Russia and other countries. When I met your people, I was amazed that Belarusians are very similar to New Zealanders. I think you and we are pretty conservative people. Both you and we have to coexist with very large countries. Both our peoples value human relations, integrity and friendship. In addition, New Zealand is an agricultural country. And Belarus is a large agricultural country. You also produce a lot of equipment. And the mentality of people who work long and hard on their products,oil , gold. Our countries are also similar in that we have to take care of maintaining jobs for our people. In New Zealand's 150 years of modern history, we have often had to defend ourselves against attempts to buy up our economy and simply destroy it. Of course, we are very friendly to foreign investment, but we are opposed to foreign capital buying our assets and then closing enterprises in order to eliminate competitors in the market.

Yury Koziyatko: That is, you now wanted to draw some analogies with the Belarusian reality? We are also very cautious about selling enterprises or letting foreign capital into the ownership of Belarusian enterprises, so that what happened in some new countries of the European Union, such as Latvia, for example, and other countries does not happen. Here is the remark I made. And tell me, white gold, which can be called milk - and for us it is white gold, and for you it is white gold. White gold dictated the intention of New Zealand to join the Customs Union? Was it a serious intention or was it some kind of joke?

Stuart Pryor: New Zealand's intention to sign a free trade agreement with the Customs Union is no joke! We really want to actively cooperate with this region. But New Zealand's problem is that we associate the Customs Union, first of all, with Russia. Russia is our old trading partner. And we do not know Belarus and Kazakhstan very well, but the intentions to cooperate are serious, this is not a fantasy!

Yury Koziyatko: Of course, Belarus is also interested in exporting its goods, including to the New Zealand market. We saw Belarusian-made products in the hypermarket, and they are sold, probably because these are products, I will not name the brand, these are products of private companies. Private traders, if the goods were not sold, would not have come here. But this is a small amount, this is a small business. But, probably, Belarus, as a country that assembles a large amount of equipment, is interested in selling tractors to the market. Does the New Zealand market need Belarusian tractors or not?

Stuart Pryor: I will immediately say: “Yes!”, because the quality and price of Belarusian tractors absolutely suit the New Zealanders. This is a competitive technique, better than many tractors that are now used in New Zealand. But, unfortunately, neither in the Soviet nor in the post-Soviet times, the already independent country of Belarus, your entrepreneurs did not make any noticeable efforts to take a closer look at the New Zealand market. It is important that New Zealanders can see the products here in the country, and not in advertising brochures.

Yury Koziyatko: Were there Belarusian tractors here during the Soviet period? There are many of them left, did you meet them in the fields?

Stuart Pryor: Yes, there were. And surprisingly, they still work! We New Zealanders are very practical, thrifty and economical about everything. And Belarusian tractors are reliable, like a Kalashnikov assault rifle. And I know people who would be happy to buy them and could attract other potential customers. But it is impossible to buy, because there are no Belarusian tractors in New Zealand. I know an interesting story. About 5 years ago, businessmen from Cambodia and other Asian countries came here and tried to buy up all the "used" Belarusian tractors and spare parts for them - everything that was left in New Zealand. Everything they found was taken away. Based on this, it is possible to build an interesting scheme: to supply Belarusian tractors to New Zealand, and after 2-3 years of operation, resell them to less developed Asian countries. It is in New Zealand that the largest agricultural exhibitions and festivals in the southern hemisphere are held. Our buyers from Asia are consolidating their orders and looking for new customers. And they take an example from us: if some equipment works in New Zealand and our farmers like it, then they buy it for their countries.

Yuri Koziyatko: You are talking about real things, but for many Belarusians, including businessmen, New Zealand is unreal, fantastic, like The Lord of the Rings or Avatar, films that, by the way, were filmed here. Maybe first you need to establish a tourist exchange or a cultural exchange, so that people come and get to know each other better? How many Belarusians come to New Zealand today and how many New Zealanders go to Belarus?

Stuart Pryor: Not many Belarusian tourists come to New Zealand, but New Zealanders visit your country more often. Often passing from Germany to St. Petersburg. Sometimes New Zealanders want to find their Belarusian roots. But, unfortunately, our countries know little about each other. And you quite rightly noted that such films as "Avatar", "The Hobbit", "Lord of the Rings" create the image of New Zealand. And the image of Belarus is formed, probably, by sports.

Yury Koziyatko: Thank God it wasn't Chernobyl, because we are a nuclear-free country, and Belarus was often mentioned in connection with the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Extreme tourists, perhaps, wanted to drive through this zone, which is also not bad for us, it is important for us that they come! But the athletes and the memorable football match, when Belarus won against New Zealand, probably also contributed to the knowledge of Belarus.

Stuart Pryor: Another way that our countries can get closer is through youth cooperation. To enable young professionals, students and professionals to exchange their ideas and gain knowledge on the territory of both states. I know that information technologies are developing in Belarus. Your guys have developed computer war games that are addicted all over the world. Young scientists could work together on projects related to climate change. This is very important for the agriculture of both countries.

Yuriy Koziyatko: A very interesting scientific project, about which, perhaps, you are hinting at it is “Antarctica”. Belarus is going to place a station in Antarctica. You are closest to Antarctica in this region, how can you help?

Stuart Pryor: I believe that the opening of the first Belarusian station in Antarctica is a very important decision for your country. We can support, help with consultations and our connections in the global community. Because we want to see Belarus as an independent country in Antarctica. Physical representation in Antarctica is not the only way of cooperation. There are very interesting ideas and projects in physics and atmospherics. Therefore, we are looking for opportunities to attract Belarusian scientists to work together in the southern hemisphere. And it would be very interesting for New Zealand to learn and adopt the experience of what you are already doing in Belarus in the northern hemisphere, which is inaccessible geographically for us.

Yury Koziyatko: Moreover, Belarus has its own satellite, the first satellite was launched by Belarus! I think New Zealand would be interested in that too.

Stuart Pryor: Of course, this is very important to us! We have enthusiasts who would even gladly invest in such a project. Our country is small, and we do not have the opportunity to launch our own rockets or satellites, but it would be very interesting to do something together.