BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

31/07/2007

Belarus Hopes For Quick Approval Of Russian Stabilization Loan

Belarusian Prime Minister Syarhey Sidorski told journalists on July 30 that his government expects to receive a stabilization loan from Russia "soon," adding that experts are now considering the terms of the loan, Belapan reported. Sidorski was commenting on his talks with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov in Moscow earlier that day. Belarus asked Russia for a loan of $1.5 billion after the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom more than doubled gas prices for Belarus as of January 2007. Last week, Russian Finance Minister Aleksei Kudrin announced that the Russian government has preliminarily approved the stabilization loan to Belarus, but did not reveal its amount (see "RFE/RL Newsline," July 30, 2007). Meanwhile, Belarusian economic expert Leanid Zaika told Belapan that Sidorski and Fradkov apparently failed to reach an agreement on the loan. Zaika predicted that Belarus's request for a loan will have to be settled by the presidents of both countries. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/07/3-cee/cee-310707.asp