BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

18/05/2007

Gazprom and Belarus to ink Beltransgaz deal today

RBC, 18.05.2007, Moscow 09:56:33.Gazprom and Belarus are expected to ink the sale of 12.5 percent of Beltransgaz shares to the Russian gas giant during the visit of Gazprom's CEO Alexei Miller to Minsk today.

As reported earlier, on December 31, 2006, Gazprom and the government of Belarus signed a memorandum on the establishment of a joint gas transport venture to be responsible for gas supplies to and gas transit via the republic. The memorandum reads that Gazprom and Belarus have to sign a purchase agreement for Beltransgaz shares before June 1, 2007. On April 25, Gapzrom's Board of Directors approved the acquisition of 50-percent stake for $2.5bn to be paid in four installments between 2007 and 2010. At each stage, Gazprom will be purchasing a stake of 12.5 percent.

Source:

http://www.rbcnews.com/free/20070518095633.shtml