RUSSIA CAN DENY GRANTING CREDIT TO BELARUS :: Charter'97 :: News

Summing up the results of negotiations on April 9 in Moscow Russian negotiators on allotting stabilization credit of $1.5 billion to Belarus asked by the Belarusian side in connection with increased price of Russian energy resources in 2007, offered the Belarusian side to find weighty arguments to be given the credit. PRIME-TASS news agency has been informed about that by a source close to Russian government.

As informed by the source, the Russian side hadn’t been persuaded by the arguments given by Belarus during the negotiations.

“Minsk explains necessity of receiving a credit by increased price for Russian energy resources, and by necessity to introduce state grants to oil refiners because oil refining is loss-making for Belarusian enterprises in new conditions,” the source said.

However introduction of grants from the government to exporters disagrees with principles of the World Trade Organization, which is unacceptable for Russia as it is coming to a head of joining the WTO, the source underlined.

According to the available information, Finance Ministry of Belarus is to prepare new, more persuasive arguments for being granted Russian credit with would not contradict international trade principles and the WTO rules.