Delegation from Belarus arrived in Moscow for gas contract

Read it in Russian

A delegation of Belarusian departed for Moscow on December 29 to sign a contract for gas delivery in 2007 with Gazprom Holding (Russia). The announcement was made by Belarusian energy minister assistant Andrei Zhukov. He said that the visit’s aim is to sign the contract and expressed hope it would be done before January 1, 2007.

As it is known, as early as in spring 2006 Gazprom announced it was revising the gas price for Belarus: instead of $46.68 per 1,000 cubic meters the republic was offered to pay $200 or repay some part in Beltransgaz shares. Belarus denied all Russian proposals including the one of $105 per 1,000 cubic meters. In case the agreement on the price is not reached, Gazprom promised to halt gas supplies to Belarus on January 2001 at 10:00 a.m. Moscow time. According to a source in the Belarusian government, the republic can live without Russian gas using its own energy carriers within about two weeks. In its turn Ukraine offered to provide for extra transit of the Russian gas to Europe, if the problem with Belarus is not settled.