BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

15/01/2007

Belarussian leader woos EU after Russia energy dispute

MINSK, jan 15 (AFP): Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, barred from entering the EU for a crackdown on democratic opposition activists, signalled his readiness to cooperate with the bloc on energy security after a bruising supply dispute with Russia.

"If the Europeans are ready to cooperate in this area with Belarus, we are ready for all forms of cooperation in order to ensure our national security in securing fuel supplies," Lukashenko said on national television.

Russia halted oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline for three days last week, cutting off supplies to five EU countries including Germany and Poland, until Belarus agreed to remove a transit tax it had imposed.

Belarus introduced the tax after Moscow doubled the price it charges Minsk for natural gas and slapped a high tariff on the crude oil it supplies to Belarussian refineries.

Source:

http://www.financialexpress-bd.com/index3.asp?cnd=1/16/2007§ion_id=26&newsid=49561&spcl=no

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