BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
24/12/2008
Belarus lands gas discount from Moscow
MINSK, Belarus, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Belarus secured a deal with Russian officials to receive natural gas in 2009 at a cost that is two to three times less than current prices, officials said.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, had convened earlier this week to discuss bilateral ties in the energy sector.
Natural gas prices for Belarus rose from $119.53 to $127.9 per 1,000 cubic meters (35,314.6 cubic feet) in 2009 and a rise over $200 for 2009 was feared, but the bilateral deal was expected to be beneficial to both countries amid the faltering world economy, RIA Novosti said Wednesday.
"Gas prices for Belarus will fall," said Lukashenko. "They will fall significantly -- by two or three times -- and will be acceptable to us on the whole."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier that Moscow was backing a Bulgarian proposal to host an energy summit in April, adding plans for several natural resource arteries through the region were progressing "irrespective of the economic or political situation."
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