BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

10/01/2007

Belarus claims Russia oil compromise

By Reuters

Belarus said on Wednesday that a compromise had been found to resume exports of Russian crude oil via the Druzhba oil pipeline system, halted for three days by a trade dispute.

President Alexander Lukashenko's office said the compromise was reached in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A Kremlin official declined immediate comment.

"As a result of the discussion, a compromise was found which will make it possible to unblock this dead-end situation, including concerning the transit of Russian oil to European countries," Mr Lukashenko's office said in a statement.

The prime ministers of both countries have been instructed to hammer out proposals to end the dispute and present them to Mr Lukashenko and Mr Putin on Friday, the statement added.

Source:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/1c9804a8-a0a3-11db-acff-0000779e2340.html