“Russian Courier”: Lukashenko Blackmails Russia Again 11:39, 21/07/2003
In compliance with a “union state’s” treaty Belarus is obliged to transform her pipeline system into a joint stock company and set up a joint venture with Russia on its premises. Formally, “Beltransgas” had already been made joint-stock, but the price, which the Belarusian government established for 48% of shares of the newly formed company, turned out unaffordable for “Gasprom”.
In June they disrupted in a likewise manner privatization of the Belarusian petroleum giants – Novopolotsk oil refinery and Grodno “Azot” plant. Supposedly, both these companies had to be taken over by the Russian oil tycoons. However, as noted by the director of “Surgutneftegas” Vladimir Bogdanov, “one could build a new plant on this money in Russia.”
On July 18 “Batka” with his common naiveté said that at the moment the “Yamal-Europe” pipeline has no alternatives to it, as far as the negotiations on the Russian-Ukrainian consortium have come to a deadlock. Plus, he entitled his Cabinet to prepare concomitant proposals on the potential participation of Belarus in oil exploitations on the territory of Russia.
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