Belarus, Russia still in talks over crude oil supplies
Russia's energy ministry hopes that an agreement on crude oil supplies to Belarus is to be reached soon, Russian energy minister Sergei Shmatko told Ria Novosti news agency in the evening of January 6. The talks would continue in Moscow on January 7, he added.
In an earlier development, Belarus' deputy economy minister Anatol Filonau who is Belarus' chief negotiator at the talks refuted reports from several media that the negotiations were disrupted. He said the dekegation was in constructive talks.
Russia and Belarus entered 2010 without a new deal on crude oil supplies and transit. Russia said earlier that Belarus would have to pay 100 percent of the duties for the Russian oil supplies if it failed to sign a new deal. Officia Minsk insists on preferential customs duties.
In an earlier development, Belarus' deputy economy minister Anatol Filonau who is Belarus' chief negotiator at the talks refuted reports from several media that the negotiations were disrupted. He said the dekegation was in constructive talks.
Russia and Belarus entered 2010 without a new deal on crude oil supplies and transit. Russia said earlier that Belarus would have to pay 100 percent of the duties for the Russian oil supplies if it failed to sign a new deal. Officia Minsk insists on preferential customs duties.
