MOSCOW - Russian foreign trade surplus (based on the methodology of payment balance) amounted to some $6.415bn in April 2004, which was 7.3 percent higher than in March 2004 and 60.2 percent higher than in April 2003. According to the data published by the Central Bank yesterday, trade surplus with countries outside the CIS reached $5.872bn, which was 12.7 percent higher than in March 2004; trade surplus with the CIS amounted to $543m, which was 29 percent lower than March 2004.

Russian exports amounted to $14.192bn in April 2004, which was 4.7 percent higher than in March 2004 and 39.5 percent higher than in April 2003. Exports to countries outside the CIS reached $11.935bn (a 41.9-percent increase against April 2003), exports to the CIS amounted to $2.257bn (a 27.9-percent increase against April 2003).

Russian imports amounted to $7.777bn in April 2004, which was 2.6 percent higher than in March 2004 and 26.1 percent higher than in April 2003. Imports from countries outside the CIS reached $6.063bn (a 21.5-percent increase against April 2003), imports from the CIS amounted to $1.714bn (a 45.6-percent increase against April 2003).