BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

20/09/2007

Belarus eyes Russian gas

MINSK, Belarus, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Belarus said it plans to import 21.7 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia in 2008.

"Gas consumption this year will total 21.2bn cu m," Belarusian Energy Minister Alyaksandr Azyarets said.

The comments were reported by ITAR-TASS news agency.

Vineryy Valchuha, a Beltransgaz representative, said earlier that Russia and Belarus had begun talks on the price of Russian gas for the next year.

On Sept. 7 Belarus said it was in talks with Turkmenistan on natural gas supplies, an apparent bid to reduce supplies from Russia.

Ties with Russia, once close, have become frosty over Gazprom's decision to raise rates to international levels and cut off supplies when bills aren't paid.

Source:

http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Energy/Briefing/2007/09/20/belarus_eyes_russian_gas/4256/

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