BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

25/01/2007

Report: Belarusian president calls on Europe to help in diversifying energy supplies

The Associated Press

MINSK, Belarus: President Alexander Lukashenko said Belarus needs the European Union's help as the ex-Soviet republic moves to diversify its energy supplies in the wake of bruising disputes with Russia over oil and gas imports, the state news agency Belta reported Thursday.

Lukashenko, who was been branded "Europe's last dictator" for his iron-fisted rule, has made a series of statements in recent weeks suggesting that he is seeking less strained ties with Europe.

"Europe should learn to understand us better. The moment for this now," he was quoted as saying by Belta.

"We want to be diligent students. I want Belarus to somehow look like Germany or Sweden. However, the West until now has pushed us away."

Russian sharply increased natural gas prices for Belarus this year and forced Minsk to back down on an oil transit standoff that briefly disrupted oil supplies to Europe. As a result, Belarus agreed to give up billions in revenues from oil products refined with cheap Russian oil and exported to lucrative European markets.

Lukashenko said the nation's centrally controlled, Soviet-style economy should not be an obstacle to cooperation with the European Union and he said Belarus could help to protect the eastern borders of the bloc.

"We detain a large part of the illegal migrants and criminals trying to make it into the EU from the east.... We are in our own way a defensive wall for Europe. And how does the EU thank us? With economic sanctions and removing Belarus' customs preferences," he was quoted as saying.

The European Union, which fears Russia is increasingly using its energy resources as a political weapons, has imposed sanctions on Lukashenko and top government officials and lifted certain import preferences for Belarusian goods in punishment for Belarusian policies against the political opposition

Lukashenko said the sanction cost Belarus up to US$300 million (?230 million), and vowed to impose surcharges and rents on Russian oil and gas pipelines.

Source:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/25/europe/EU-GEN-Belarus-Lukashenko-Energy.php