BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/03/2006

Gazprom chief: Belarus must pay gas rates

MAR. 30 8:25 A.M. ET The head of Russia's natural gas behemoth OAO Gazprom said Thursday that Belarus must pay European rates for its gas -- an apparent bargaining ploy to win control over its neighbor's gas pipeline system.

In a statement, the company said Alexei Miller, its chief executive officer, had told the Belarussian energy minister and the head of its state gas company in a meeting in Moscow that Russian gas "must be supplied at prices equivalent to the European level."

The Belarussian side was due to present its proposals on April 30, the statement said.

Source:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8GLTOOO0.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down&chan=db