MINSK, 12 July (BelTA) – Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Igor Lyashenko will discuss oil matters with Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Kozak on 13 July, BelTA learned from representatives of the Council of Ministers.
According to the source, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Igor Lyashenko will discuss matters of bilateral cooperation with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Kozak on 13 July. The source specified neither the venue nor the format of the talks.
BelTA reported earlier that on 19 April Belneftekhim registered a massive decrease in the quality of the Russian oil mixture Urals coming via the oil pipeline system Druzhba. The concentration of chlororganic compounds in oil exceeded standard thresholds dozens of times over. Both Belarusian oil refineries – OAO Naftan and Mozyr Oil Refinery – were forced to reduce their workload and have suffered financial losses. After the incident clean oil reached the Belarusian border via the Druzhba pipeline system on 2 May.
In order to compensate for the losses caused by polluted Russian oil, the oil transport company Gomeltransneft Druzhba suggested raising oil transportation tariffs by 21.7%.
TASS quoted Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Kozak as saying on 12 July that the Russian government believes Belarus' demand to raise oil transportation tariffs in its territory is fair. Belarus' tariffs are the lowest right now. Dmitry Kozak said the Russian side is ready to consider gradual equalization of the tariffs in Russia and Belarus and has already prepared a compromise option. In his words, the matter of oil transportation tariffs will be discussed with Igor Lyashenko on 13 July.
