Belarusian FM says gas disputes with Russia not linked to relations with West
Xinhua, September 6, 2016 Adjust font size:
Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said on Monday that its oil and gas disputes with Russia are not related to the country's normalization of relations with the EU.
"I am familiar with opinions that periodically appear in the media that some problems in our relations with our main ally and partner Russia are allegedly connected to Belarus's attempts to normalize relations with the European Union. I don't think it is the official Moscow line," the minister said.
Makei described the negotiations on natural gas and oil primarily as a dispute between commercial entities.
He also stressed Belarus has always honored and will honor the commitments it has undertaken as part of its membership in various integration structures and associations and will never make any steps that will run contrary to these commitments.
Belarus and Russia are arguing about the Russian gas price supplied to Belarus. The Belarusian side declares that it pays a fair price, and insists on lowering gas prices. As a result, according to the calculations of the Russian side, a debt exceeds 270 million U.S. dollars.
In response to the underpayment for its gas Russia wants to cut oil supplies to Belarus from 5.3 million tons to 3.5 million tons in the third quarter of 2016. Belarus says the oil supply decline cost 0.2 percent of its GDP. Endit