BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

15/01/2007

Russia to Back Belarus, Putin

Moscow, Jan 15 (Prensa Latina) Russian President Vladimir Putin said in the Kremlin on Monday that his country will keep on supporting explicitly or covertly the Belarus economy, although the volume will be reduced as of 2007.

Addressing the meeting with members of the ministerial cabinet on Monday, the statesman stated that in the energy sector alone, the Minsk support will increase $5.8 billion or 41 percent of the neighboring country s budget.

The figure is dramatic, but Russia accepts this as a way to support the brotherly people of Belarus and ensure a transition to market relations with the country that is its ally, the statesman told RIA Novosti news agency.

In the encounter, Putin expressed thanks to the government for the establishment of mutual commitments in the recent negotiation on energy issues with Belarus.

Source:

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7BCC4958AD-A823-46F2-A572-21D44E61952D%7D)&language=EN