Russian media: Talks on oil disrupted on order of Lukashenka
- 11.01.2010, 13:47
The Belarusian authorities are supposed to drag out settling the oil issue knowingly.
After another stage of Russia–Belarus negotiations on oil, ended with a two-day time-out and departure of the Belarusian delegation to Minsk leaving the Russian party in indignation. As soon as Uladzimir Syamashka, the first deputy prime minister of Belarus, joined the negotiation process, everything went wrong.
“Everything was good unless Uladzimir Syamashka joined the talks: all arguable points were settled, even the procedure of oil supplies and transit,” a source close to the negotiations told Life News. “But then everything turned upside down.”
Bearing in mind the recent visit of the Belarusian delegation headed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka to Moscow, when the talks lasted eight hours, representatives of the president’s administration recognizes the “hand” of the Belarusian ruler.
“Lukashenka is well informed about the course of negotiations,” the source says. “Uladzimir Syamashka always informs the administration.”
The Russian Ministry of Energy states the Belarusian delegation asks for duty-free oil supplies not only for domestic needs but also for Belarusian refineries.
The Russian negotiators are not satisfied with these demands. As said by them, Moscow made an unprecedented step having proposed to supply 6.3 million tonnes of duty-free oil per year for domestic needs.
“Belarus consumes 8 million tonnes of oil per year. The country produces 1.7 million tonnes; we agreed to supply 6.3 million tonnes without duties. It is an unprecedented decision,” Irina Yosipova, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Energy, says.
Russian experts say a proposal on duty-free supplies is backing the Belarusian economy that allows Belarus to have additional $1.8 billion.
But this is not enough for the Belarusian negotiators. Having failed to reach a consensus, the delegation took a two-day pause and returned to Minsk. They are expected in Moscow on Monday. However, the Russian party doesn’t have a firm belief the agreement may be signed this time.
At present, Russia is “giving” oil to Belarus: the supplies do not have a legal base since the beginning of January.
“The contract with Belarus expired in late December. A new regulatory base was needed from January 1. Though an agreement wasn’t signed, Russia won’t halt supplies for the sake of energy security,” a source close to the talks told Life News.