Moscow and Minsk will be able to find a mutually acceptable solution on oil and gas deliveries to Belarus for the next year, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev said on Wednesday, warning against politicizing the negotiations
MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th November, 2020) Moscow and Minsk will be able to find a mutually acceptable solution on oil and gas deliveries to Belarus for the next year, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev said on Wednesday, warning against politicizing the negotiations.
"I am sure that the sides are obligated to and will be able to find a mutually acceptable solution on energy sources deliveries for the next year. It is important to factor political issues out of negotiations on this purely economical, energy-related matter," Mezentsev told reporters.
Commenting on the possibility to continue the negotiations through the New Year holidays, the Russian diplomat warned against "alarmism."
"Today, we are obligated to arrive at some basic strategic agreements. Formation of a single gas market is a matter of fundamental importance, which cannot be disregarded while focusing on significant yet operational issues, such as short-term formation of the energy prices," Mezentsev explained.
The ambassador pointed to existing agreements on the annual oil and gas deliveries, also stressing that Russia had fulfilled Belarus' requests regarding conditions for the 2020 oil supplies.
"If one side requests a 'discount' [for gas], then the other side has the right to count upon a similar approach, a discount for some groups of products, if we are talking about equitable relations of independent countries," Mezentsev added.
In 2020, Belarus purchases Russian gasa at $120 per 1,000 cubic meters and keeps insisting on a reduction in the price. Earlier this month, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said that Minsk hopes to soon agree on an "attractive" price for 2021. Russian gas giant Gazprom announced on November 11 that negotiations on the 2021 supplies had started.
In early 2020, Minsk and Moscow failed to reach agreement on the oil deliveries due to differences on prices. Meanwhile, Golovchenko has noted that in 2021 his country will get a significant share of oil from Russia through pipeline transport.
