BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

19/06/2009

Putin: Gazprom pays Belarus $650 million for gas transit

Interfax-Ukraine

Gazprom gas paid Belarus $650 million for transit of Russian gas, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.

"Gazprom has paid $650 million this year," Putin said in Barnaul on Friday at a session of the commission on regional development.

Russia provides significant support to Belarus, Putin added.

"Some criticize us for transferring money to Belarus: $1.5 billion the year before last, $1 billion last year, $0.5 billion this year. And Gazprom has paid $650 million this year. That means Belarus has received $1.15 billion from Russian sources this year at a minimum," Putin said.

In addition, Belarus receives crude oil from Russia at reduced tariffs. "Our Belarusian colleagues refine the fairly heavy Russian crude and exports the oil product to the West, generating foreign currency revenue," he said.

That revenue is even greater if the chemical products Belarus produces from imported Russian gas are included. That support enables Belarus to subsidize its agriculture, Putin said.

Source:

http://www.kyivpost.com/world/43664

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