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Gas transit fee asked by Belarus is inconsistent with contract, Gazprom says

The Belarusian authorities have asked a price for gas transit that is inconsistent with the effective contract, Aleksei Miller, CEO of Russia's gas giant Gazprom, said at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Novokuznetsk on June 24, BelaPAN reports.

"The issue has not been settled completely, we have received a letter from the first vice premier of Belarus, which contains a demand that we pay for Russian gas transit on terms that are inconsistent with the contract," RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

Uladzimir Syamashka, Belarus' first deputy prime minister, warned on Wednesday that Gazprom should pay off a debt of $260 million for gas transit via Belarus by 10:00 a.m. June 24. “If this is not done, Belarus plans to stop the transit of hydrocarbon material,” Mr. Syamashka said.

According to him, Gazprom fully paid gas transit bills in the first 10 months of 2009 but then started to pay at $1.45 per 1000 cubic meters per 100 kilometers, whereas the rate was $1.74. From January through May 2010, Gazprom paid nothing at all and therefore accumulated a debt of $260 million, Mr. Syamashka said.