Belarus: Beltranshaz values at $3.5B :: Charter'97 :: News

Banking group ABN Amro has valued Belarus` gas distributor, Beltranshaz, at close to $3.5 billion, the country`s deputy economics minister said.The value of Beltranshaz established by the independent appraiser is close to $3.5 billion, Aleh Melnikaw said Thursday at a news conference, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. Melnikaw is in charge of the country`s privatization efforts.

On Tuesday, Russia and Belarus agreed to set up a 50-50 gas joint venture, most likely by the end of the year.I hope that decisions will be made very soon, especially in the energy field, considering that an independent valuation of Beltranshaz has effectively been completed and experts not only share an understanding but have an agreement on ways to reach a final decision, Russian President Vladimir Putin said after talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. He said he hoped the deal between Russia`s Gazprom and Beltranshaz will be done before the New Year.He added: As for our foreign partners, including Belarus, we will capitalize part of the price in the value put on Beltranshaz.The comments follow a week in which Lukashenko complained that unequal gas prices with Russia could endanger a union of the two states.Russia has raised the price of gas sold to former Soviet states, saying they need to reflect market rates. Most of Western Europe pays $230 per cu.m.Copyright 2006 by United Press International