BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

27/12/2006

Western Europe's gas supply not to be affected

BERLIN, December 27 (Itar-Tass) -- The differences over the price of gas between Belarus and Russia's Gazprom gas giant will not have a negatives impact on gas supply to Germany, representative of the German government Thomas Steg said on Wednesday. He said the Russian-Belarussian "dispute over gas" does not affect gas supply to Western Europe.

The German government has no doubt that Russia will honour its obligations under contracts on gas supply, Steg said. He called on the Russian side to decide the question of bringing the price of gas for Belarus to the world level in a planned and gradual way. Otherwise the Belarussian economy might be shaken.

A representative of the German Economics Ministry said her ministry, too, believes Russia would ensure "reliable gas supply" for Western Europe.

Source:

http://www.tass.ru/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11122578&PageNum=0