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Russia will supply Belarus with gas at prices provided for by existing contracts, but is ready to grant subsidies, Putin says

Russia will supply Belarus with natural gas at the prices provided for by existing contracts, but it is ready to grant subsidies, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told reporters in Moscow on Thursday following talks with his Belarusian counterpart, Mikhail Myasnikovich.

Mr. Putin noted that if new conditions were established for Russian oil deliveries to Belarus, Russia would provide certain subsidies as well.

“We’ll try to ensure that the volume of subsidizing the Belarusian economy in the oil sector amounts to no less than what Belarus received between 2007 and 2009, before export duty was imposed on oil [deliveries to Belarus],” Mr. Putin said. “This amount is $4,124 million. There are some questions regarding calculations, but we’ve confirmed our position.”

Belarus and Russia have in fact agreed on a formula for calculating the gas price for Belarus for the period until 2015, said Mr. Myasnikovich. //BelaPAN