Top > Business > 2007 > January > 2007-01-12

Belarus Threatens to Disrupt Natural Gas Flow to Europe

Deputy Prime Minster of Belarus, Vladimir Semashko, told reporters that the continued supply of Russian natural gas through Belarus to Western Europe is dependant on Gazprom`s agreement to continue supplying Belarus with its supply of natural gas. Gazprom is threatening to cut of its supply of gas once the contract with Belarus ends on December 31st.

Belarus says that 20% of Russia`s gas supply to Western Europe is in jeopardy if Gazprom refuses to supply Belarus with its gas supply due to disagreement over the price. ``Talks are going on,`` Gazprom spokesperson Sergei Kupriyanov said, ``However, we don`t expect any progress from these meetings until the arrival in Moscow of the chief negotiator, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, Vladimir Semashko.``

Russia`s national gas company said the gas supply to Belarus will be stopped on January 1st, if Belarus doesn?t agree on the price change. Gazprom is demanding Belarus pay double what it paid in 2006, as well as, secede 50% of the control of Belarus` gas distributing operation to Russia. Gazprom said it would keep to its contracts and that their customers in Europe needn`t worry. A similar incident happened last year between Gazprom and Ukraine. The gas supply to Ukraine was stopped on New Year`s Eve for a short while, which caused supply problems in several places in Europe, during one of the harshest winters in recent years. Approximately 80% of Russian gas exported to Europe goes through Ukraine, and 20% through Belarus. European Union figures show that 40% of Europe`s gas import and 30% of its oil import come from Russia.