27 December 2006
Vice premier expects Russian oil price for Belarusian refineries to exceed $535 per ton in 2007

Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko said that the price of Russian crude oil for Belarusian refineries will exceed $585 per ton after Moscow introduces export duties on the product supplied to Belarus on January 1, 2007.

While commenting on the Kremlin's move to impose a duty of $180.1 per ton of crude oil, the Belarusian premier condemned it as "pressure on our country" and "an attempt to bring our oil refineries to a halt." "I can't call it any other way," the government's press office quoted him as saying.

The official noted that the move was tantamount to Russia's exit from a customs union with Belarus. "This has not been announced but this is a fact," he stressed

According to Mr. Semashko, Minsk is ready to compromise and share revenues from export duties on petroleum products with Russia. //BelaPAN