Russia starts supplying oil to Russian oil-processing enterprises before agreement is concluded

Russia has continued the transit of oil through Belarus and started supplying oil to Belarusian oil-processing plants despite of the absence of agreements on duty-free oil supplies with Belarus. “Interfax” informs about this statement of the Russian vice Prime Minister Igor Sechin.

"We continue the transit to our western European clients and resumed supplies to Belarusian oil-processing plants yesterday: about 100 thousand tons of oil  - to Navapolatsk oil-processing plant and 78 thousand tons of oil – to Mazyr plant”, - said I.Sechin at a meeting with the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The head of the Russian government reminded that oil supplies to Belarus were beneficial. According to the previous agreement, Russia made a discount and Belarus paid 3% of the standard Russian oil duty.

In response to it, Sechin reminded that a reduction coefficient had been used after an agreement signed in 2007 (0.365 in 2009) and that the coefficient was abolished in January 1 and its term had ended. Russia offered to continue beneficial supplies to Belarus to satisfy the domestic demand (up to 6 million tons of duty-free oil).

Sechin claimed that Russia had presented its ideas about the issue and negotiators “were constantly contacting each other”. “We have not signed any documents yet”, -said the Russian vice Prime Minister.