BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

28/12/2006

Gazprom implies chance of imposing gas duties for Belarus

MOSCOW, December 28 (Itar-Tass) - Gazprom does not preclude a chance of imposing export gas duties by the Russian government for Belarus. This opinion was expressed on Thursday by Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov.

According to the spokesman, "under conditions when we cannot start normal cooperation in the gas industry, it is quite possible to take a decision on dumping the present preferential relations in future".

Kupriyanov stated at the same time that "negotiators on gas deliveries to Belarus have no grounds so far to meet the New Year at the gala table". At the same time, the Russian side still hopes that "we can come to agreement this year," he added.

The Russian government does not support so far a proposal by Gazprom to impose gas export duties on Belarus. Such a move would complicate even more difficult talks with the Belarussian side by putting forth additional conditions, a government source said in an interview with Itar-Tass earlier, commenting on the initiative by the management of the Russian company.

"This should not be done," the source said. In his opinion, "this question can be examined, thoroughly prepared, but this should be done cautiously".

Gazprom head Alexei Miller promised reporters on Wednesday that he plans to request the Russian government on introducing an export duty for Belarus. He emphasized that the Russian budget would not receive annually 1.3 billion US dollars in gas export to Belarus.

In the company's opinion, imposition of an export duty at a price of 200 dollars for 1,000 cubic meters in delivering gas to Belarus will help to bring later this price to the European level of 260 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters.

Source:

http://www.tass.ru/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11125082&PageNum=0