BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

29/06/2006

Russia, Belarus negotiate gas prices

MOSCOW, June 29 (UPI) -- Heads of the Russian and Belarusian governments continued Wednesday discussions on increased gas prices.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and Belarusian Prime Minister Syarhey Sidorski held bilateral meetings in Moscow to determine the price quota for gas supplies from Russia to Belarus, Channel One Worldwide reported.

Gazprom intends on quadrupling gas prices from $50 to $200 per 1,000 cubic meters.

Thus far, the Belarusian government has reviewed the proposal from the Russian gas giant, and offered their own separate suggestions.

"We have decided that working groups should consider this subject once again. This is a normal process of coordination of contracts for supplies of products," said Sidorski.

Fradkov confirmed Gazprom's gas prices, adding that price quotes were from a "system of a universal approach to our partners."

"Indeed, we listened to information on the progress of the talks between the gasmen of the two countries. And we issued an instruction to continue this work so that mutually acceptable solutions could be found," said Fradkov.

Source:

http://www.upi.com/Energy/view.php?StoryID=20060629-025417-7983r