Belarus Privatizes 1300km of Russian Pipes :: Charter'97 :: News

Yalta was rocked by a scandal. At the meeting of Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov with the acting Premier of Belarus Sergei Sidorenko, it turned out that Belarusians on the very top level determined to take away some of the Russian state property to themselves. Mr.Sidorenko stated that the uncertainty around the system of oil pipelines of the Russian company “Transnefteproduct” is now made clear and its destiny predetermined. From now on Belarus will consider this system to be a property of its own. Apparently, the Russian Prime Minister didn’t expect anything like that. He was not just confused but looked absolutely shocked. And so strongly that he was fighting for composure and seeking ways to somehow respond diplomatically to this undiplomatic news, that he heard.

Mr. Kasyanov described his reaction to what he had heard in the following way: “I was surprised. Such a definition of the problem sounded for the first time,” – stressed he. According to the Russian Premier since the dissolution of USSR and the signing of the Bishkek treaty no other former Soviet republic called into question the right for state ownership. Kasyanov also pointed out that the pipelines of “Transnefteproduct” company have never been anyone’s property, but rather belonged to the Russian Federation Republic. So, afterwards it directly and unquestionably moved into the jurisdiction of Russia.

The Russian Prime Minister promised to delicately deal with the issue, which doesn’t diminish his desire to stand for the interests of Russia, even if they will have to struggle with their union’s companions over their property rights. A high-ranking official from the Russian delegation called this act of Belarus in a conversation with the “Vremya Novostei” correspondent “flagrant”. If the two union countries are now dividing the property, what unity can we speak of?

Under the Bishkek agreement, signed in 1992, the Belarusian, Ukrainian and Kazakh pipelines belong to Russia. The registration of the legal status of the “Transnefteproduct” pipeline, crossing the territory of Belarus, was commenced in 1998. However, this country hasn’t yet signed protocol, envisaged by the concomitant Bishkek treaty.

Despite the frustrating collision, the Russian Premier following his meeting with the Belarusian colleague, didn’t start playing with ultimatums, but simply in a quiet and peaceful form described the plan of further actions of the two governments. He said that in late September – early October there would convene the Cabinet of Ministers of the union state, which will consider both the Russian ruble problem and those of the single gas transportation network, gas tariffs, railroad transportations and the very essence of the common Russian-Belarusian economic zone.