BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

09/01/2010

Belarus says oil supply talks with Russia to resume on Saturday

MOSCOW, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- A Belarusian delegation led by First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko will continue talks over Russian oil supplies to the former Soviet neighbor in Moscow on Saturday, Interfax news agency cited a Belarusian government spokesman as saying on Friday.

The delegation led by Semashko left for Moscow on Friday at the invitation of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, spokesman Alexander Timoshenko said.

"The next round of talks is expected to take place at the Russian government on Jan. 9," Timoshenko was quoted as saying.

He said Belarus' position remained based on the need to reach mutually acceptable agreements within the effective legal framework of Belarusian-Russian relations.

It was reported earlier that a Belarusian delegation had left Moscow without resolving a dispute on oil duties.

Meanwhile, Interfax quoted Russian Energy Ministry spokeswoman Irina Yesipova as saying that talks continued on Friday at a distance. "Hopefully, the parties will reach a relevant agreement soon."

Belarus buys about 20 million metric tons of Russian oil a year, but consumes only about one quarter of that. The rest is processed and exported to the West.

Belarus enjoyed significant discounts on Russian oil imports in2009, and is seeking a similar deal this year. The two sides, however, failed to clinch a deal for 2010 before the end of 2009.

Belarus insists that Russia supply duty-free oil not only for Belarus' domestic consumption but also for all Russian crude supplied to the country, while Russia says it will fully tax all the oil bound for European markets.

The Belarusian government has accused Russia's position of contradicting a document on the new Customs Union between Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Source:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/09/content_12779398.htm


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