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Belarus takes gas from transit pipeline for its own needs - UPDATED

Belarus takes gas from transit pipeline for its own needs - <font color=red>UPDATED</font>

23 June 2010 08:53 (UTC +04:00)

Baku - APA-Economics. Belarusian First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko sent a letter to Gazprom Company about the taking gas from its transit pipeline for its own needs following a cut in Russian gas supplies over Belarusian debts.

This decision was approved for keeping of gas transportation system active.

Note that, Russia has further reduced natural gas supplies to ex-Soviet neighbor Belarus over what it claims is a debt of nearly US$200 million. The chief of Russiaâ€™s state-controlled natural gas monopoly Gazprom says the company has cut supplies to Belarus by 60 percent starting Wednesday. Gazprom initially reduced supplies by 15 percent on Monday and cut them by another 15 percent Tuesday. It warned Belarus it would eventually cut the deliveries by 85 percent if Belarus refuses to pay off its debt.