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Russians understand that “we are having hard times” and “are willing to meet us half-way,” Lukashenka says

 

The Russians understand that “we are having hard times” and “are willing to meet us half-way,” Alyaksandr Lukashenka said Monday while meeting with Ihar Zhylin, head of the Belarusian State Petrochemical Industry Concern (Belnaftakhim).

According to the presidential press office, the Belarusian leader told Mr. Zhylin that they should discuss the import of crude oil from Russia, its price for Belarus and the course of talks with Russia on the matter.

“It seems to me that there should be some progress there, like is the case with gas issues,” Mr. Lukashenka said. “I met with [Gazprom CEO] Aleksei Miller [and found] that there were positive trends in our interests. The Russians are fine fellows. They understand that we are having hard times and they are willing to meet us half-way. I would like to find out what is the situation regarding oil.”

Mr. Lukashenka also asked the Belnaftakhim head to tell him about the progress of reform in the oil and gas industry. “We should correct certain issues so that we will not make blunders,” he said.

The head of state pointed out that since Belnaftakhim accounts for one-third of the nation’s gross output, it is necessary to use its potential in the most efficient way, Mr. Zhylin told reporters following the meeting.

According to Mr. Zhylin, the head of state tasked him with looking into the performance of Belarusian Potash Company, which he said sells the only mineral resource mined in the country in a significant quantity, and with taking measures to reduce receivables from exports, which he said currently amount to more than $5 billion.

Mr. Zhylin said that the Belarusian State Petrochemical Industry Concern was expected to be reformed into a conglomerate controlled by a holding company in order to ensure efficient management in the conditions of the Common Economic Zone that Belarus is to form with Russia and Kazakhstan.

According to Mr. Zhylin, the reform is expected to be completed before the end of the year, and that the conglomerate would include all the entities that are currently part of the Concern. BelaPAN