BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

12/01/2007

Russain, Belarussian Prime Ministers Start Trade and Energy Talks in Moscow

Mosnews

Russian and Belarussian prime ministers begun trade and energy talks at the Russian Government House Thursday night, RIA Novosti news agency reported January 11.

Russian Mikhail Fradkov and Belarussian Sergei Sidorsky are heading the Russian and Belarusian delegations. According to Fradkov the sides would like to find a balanced and transparent resolution of the problems linked to oil supplies to Belarus and Russian oil transit via Belarusian territory.

Talks began after nine hours of consultations between the ex-Soviet neighbors' delegations on energy supplies and other trade issues, following a standoff over oil supply and transit, during which Russia halted crude exports to Europe via Belarusian pipelines.

Trade and energy talks between the prime ministers of Russia and Belarus, expected to focus on a bilateral energy pricing and tariff dispute and will continue in Moscow Friday.

Source:

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2007/01/12/russianbelarustalks.shtml