Russia postponing decision-making on loan granting :: Charter'97 :: News

The standby credit granting by Russia to Belarus has been postponed. As the “Rosbalt” agency has been informed by the competent source from the Russian government, this issue was discussed among others at the negotiations between the Russian and Belarusian prime-ministers Mikhail Fradkov and Sergei Sydorsky. But the parties didn’t make the final decision.

The parties’ standpoints are being adjusted and the most acute questions are being discussed, the agency’s interlocutor told. Meanwhile, he didn’t particularize the term of the final settlement of the issue, the Rosbalt informs.
The prime-minister of Russia Mikhail Fradkov when dwelling upon the results of the negotiations declared that the parties had discussed cooperation in the oil-gas and financial spheres to the journalists.”The issues are complex and they cannot be decided at once, certain items of the forthcoming probable agreements are to be thoroughly worked through. The parties’ arguments have been exchanged and they will be taken into account when tackling those issues”, the Russian prime-minister said.
He also mentioned the parallel activities of the Russian and Belarusian economy operators. “Hopefully, they will come to common agreements which will be considered in the context of the desired efficiency increase in the trade –economic relations at the intergovernmental level”, Fradkov added.
The credit volume is likely to amount USD 1-1.5 billion if the Russian party accepts the proposal .Belarus is to spend the money on the payment balance improving and on bi-lateral trade financing, particularly, on buying Russian energy sources. The money will be allocated for the budget expenses financing which have increased due to the Russian energy sources price- hike or restructuring of the outstanding debt on the previously granted Russian government loan.