What have they agreed on? :: Charter'97 :: News

Vladimir Putin has discussed with Alyaksandr Lukashenka on the phone problems of Russian oil transit via Belarus, the press-service of the Kremlin informs. “During the talks issues of economical cooperation of Russia and Belarus have been discussed, including the cooperation in the energy sphere, problems of Russian oil transit through the territory of Belarus,” the press-service noted, saying that the conversation had been held on initiative of the Belarusian side. Meanwhile, the Belarusian side maintains that Minks and Moscow have stricken a compromise on issues of Russian oil transit through the territory of Belarus.

The press-service of Lukashenka informs that presidents of Russia and Belarus Vladimir Putin and Alyaksandr Lukashenka had a long phone conversation about relations of the two countries in the trade and economic sphere. During the conversation energy supplies of Belarus were discussed, and hydrocarbon production deliveries to Europe.

“As a result of the talk a compromise has been found, which would allow solving the existing stalemate, which also concerns Russian oil transit to European countries via the territory of Belarus,” the press-service of Belarusian president informs.

Prime Ministers Belarus and Russia have been instructed to formulate concrete suggestions on solving all challenging questions and bring them for consideration before heads of states by January 12, 2007, Lukashenka’s press-service informs.

As we have informed, on January 3, 2007 Belarus slapped $45 duty per ton of Russian oil delivered to Europe. Alyaksandr Lukashenka ordered the government to send suggestions to Russia on “paying for everything they receive from Belarus for free, starting from military installation to transit”.

As said by him, Russia made extremely unfriendly steps in the trade and economic sphere before the new year. He explained he meant gas price hike and costs for crude oil deliveries. “This price does not suit us. There is no such business in the world,” Lukashenka said.

Lukashenka underlined that "If they are drowning in petrodollars and other currency income and have decided ... to place us in conditions worse even than Germany and other European countries, then let’s ask this rich Russia to pay us for our services," said Lukashenka.

On January 4 it has been informed that Russian oil passing via pipelines in Belarus is subject to customs clearance since January 1.

Since January 8 Russian oil deliveries via pipeline Druzhba to 6 countries of Europe (Poland, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Ukraine) have been suspended. Russian Transneft charged Belarus with unsanctioned siphoning off of 79,000 tons of crude oil.

On January 9 Transneft sued the Belarusian side, Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko stated.