Russia continues gas exports to Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

Russia continues gas exports to Belarus in full volume, the Itera company- Russia’s biggest independent gas exporter to Belarus, told Itar-Tass on Thursday. Gas supplies to Belarus will not be cut short for a few more hours at least, the company specified.

The Union of Russia’s independent gas producers have reported that talks between head of Russian and Belarussian gas companies began in Minsk on Thursday. The two sides are planning to discuss gas supplies for February and also the problem of the use of the Russian credit granted to Minsk for payments for the Russian gas. Belarus needs Russian gas, while we are interested in gas exports, It is necessary now to negotiate gas prices, the Itera company stressed.

The Russian Gazprom cut short gas supplies to Belarus on January 1. Representatives of the gas concern declared that negotiations with the Belarussian Beltransgas Company were going ahead intensively, and the two sides were expected to reach an agreement soon.

In January, the Russian companies ITERA and Trans Nafta fulfilled their obligations envisaged in a contract with Minsk and exported 550 and 500 million cubic metres of gas, respectively. On January 24 the Russian companies concluded an additional agreement with Belarus on gas supply that envisaged enough gas exports to Belarus until January 29, inclusive.