BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

29/09/2006

Belarus says Gazprom must lessen gas price rise or it will cut ties with Russia

MINSK (AFX) - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to cut ties with the Russian government if Gazprom does not agree to a smaller rise in gas prices for 2007 than Gazprom wants.

Gazprom wants to double the price of gas that Belarus pays from the current level of 46.68 usd per 1,000 cubic metres.

"An increase of that magnitude would certainly mean all ties could be cut" with Russia, he said at a news conference.

Lukashenko said that if it does so, Russia "will lose its last (allied) country, and you will be filled with shame," he told Russian reporters.

Source:

http://www.iii.co.uk/news/?type=afxnews&articleid=5799942&subject=economic&action=article