BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

08/08/2007

Belarus pledges to pay 100 pct for Russian gas exports as of Aug.

MINSK, August 8 (Itar-Tass) - Belarus has confirmed that it paid in full its gas debt to Russia's state-run gas monopoly Gazprom and pledged to pay 100 percent for Russian gas exports as of August.

"Today the republic's finance ministry made the last payment for gas and Gazprom should receive the money," an aide of the Belarussian Energy Minister, Andrei Zhukov, told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

"We should transfer the payments before August 10 and we did this," he said.

The transaction was made in compliance with Beltransgaz-Gazprom schedule.

Belarussian First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko said earlier in the day "after Belarus paid off its debt, it will ensure a 100-percent payment for gas supplies to Gazprom as of August."

"Under the effective contract with Gazprom we have to pay for gas supplied in July already on August 23. This is about 150 million US dollars," he said.

"It will be very difficult for Belarus to switch to a 100-percent payment for gas exports. But our country's honour, dignity and reputation should be above all this," Semashko said.

He pointed out that Belarus continues talks with Russia to get a stabilization credit this year.

The official pointed out that Belarus will undoubtedly take credits "not only to pay for gas supplies, but also to support dynamic development of the country's economy that needs big financial inflows."

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11777857&PageNum=0