BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

31/03/2010

Envoy says Russia wants equal energy ties with Belarus

Russia will sign a programme for energy cooperation with Belarus only if this document is based on the principles of mutual benefit and equality, the Russian ambassador to Belarus, Aleksandr Surikov, has said.

The Russian news agency Interfax quoted him as telling a news conference in Minsk on 31 March: "We are currently drafting this document. There are no obvious contradictions in it, but there is Russia's wish to do business on a mutually beneficial, equal and market basis. I think that Belarus wants the same."

Surikov added that Belarus and Russia should produce energy together, "perhaps by establishing joint-stock companies". "Business should be mutually beneficial. This concerns oil, gas, atomic energy, all other types of energy," he said.

The ambassador also said that Russia wanted Gazprom and the Belarusian gas transport company Beltranshaz to jointly build underground storage facilities and gas pipelines, and produce fertilizers. He, according to another Interfax report, announced that on 31 March Gazprom officially became the owner of a 50-per- cent stake in Beltranshaz.

Surikov did not rule out the possibility of Russia refusing to build a nuclear power plant in Belarus should China provide funding for the project, Interfax reported at 1209 gmt.

"If there is Chinese co-funding for the nuclear power plant project, I doubt that Russia will participate," he was quoted as saying.

Sources: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1206 gmt 31 Mar 10; Interfax news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1228 gmt 31 Mar 10; Interfax news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1209 gmt 31 Mar 10

Source:

http://www.powergenworldwide.com/index/display/wire-news-display/143170921.html


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