Russia and Belarus continue to negotiate Druzbha pipeline deal
Wed, 6 January 2010
Negotiations continue between government officials from Russia and Belarus to reach a new agreement over the rate of duties paid for oil transported through Russia’s Druzbha Oil Pipeline, following the expiration of the previous agreement regulating the duties on 31 December 2009.
Local news sources reported that Russia had briefly disrupted the oil supply to Belarusian refineries before restoring supply on 4 January 2010.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin – who has been in contact with Belarusian First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko during the negotiations – informed Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that the negotiations should not affect the supply of LNG or oil to Belarus or Russia’s other European customers.
Mr Putin urged Mr Sechin to continue negotiations and reach an agreement as soon as possible.
The Druzhba Pipeline traverses 5,327 km from southeast Russia to points in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Germany.
Image caption:
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin. Image courtesy of Prime Minister of Russian Federation Office
Basket is empty.
