Russia says Belarus seeking $3 billion in loans

Belarus is seeking $3 billion in loans from Russia and an emergency fund linking ex-Soviet republics, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Tuesday.

"The loans will be linked to a number of conditions such as structural reforms similar to the ones requested by the International Monetary Fund," Kudrin said during a visit to Belarus with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. "There may be conditions linked to elimination of currency controls."