BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

24/06/2010

Russia Belarus gas dispute over

Fears of gas supply cuts to Europe from Russia have been eased after Moscow resumed the flow of gas to Belarus.

It had been reduced because Russia said Belarus owed it around 160 million euros.

Belarus countered that the Russian gas export firm Gazprom owed it over 200 million euros in fees for gas transited through the country en route to Europe.

Both sides have now paid though Belarus said it had not received all the money it was owed.

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko told euronews it was a political, not an economic dispute.

He added: "We paid all our debt by midday on Wednesday and we asked Gazprom to please stop limiting the gas flow. I know some countries like Germany and Lithuania said that they were not receiving all their gas, but they have to address that to Gazprom, not us."

Neither Moscow nor Minsk have explained why relatively low debt levels led to Russia cutting gas supplies to its neighbour.

But analysts said the row follows a souring in relations between the two countries after they failed to agree on unified customs rules.

Source:

http://www.euronews.net/2010/06/24/russia-belarus-gas-dispute-over/


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