| Lukashenko threatens Moscow with severance of contractual relations The one-day cessation of Russian gas supplies to Belarusian consumers last Thursday prompted Alexander Lukashenko to make another verbal attack against Moscow. This time, the usual rhetoric was supplemented by demands to allow Beltransgaz to re-export and produce gas in Russia, as well as threats to break the entire contractual system between Russia and Belarus. “Kasyanov announced that he had suspended some clause (the Russian government suspended the clause of the agreement on the sale of gas to Belarus at domestic prices, since the clause “linked” to this on the creation of a joint venture between Gazprom and Beltransgaz had not been fulfilled. - Ed. ). But if they withdraw from one treaty, this will entail the withdrawal of our state from other treaties. Who needs this? I think neither us nor Russia,” Lukashenko said.
On Friday, the Belarusian president came to personally inspect his “property” - Beltransgaz, which Minsk estimates at $5 billion. This was done for a reason. Mr. Lukashenko reviewed the gas industry together with journalists, who once again described the treachery of friends from Moscow and outlined the program of action of the Belarusian side. So far it does not provide for the “agree” clause.
“The country will not be without fuel, this is impossible, and therefore there is nothing to be afraid of. The situation at the negotiations is difficult, not even working, but with elements of blackmail,” Lukashenko said. “We provide the country with gas in full, despite the turmoil and this cruel temperature that has set in today.”
“They are offering to sell us at book value - for about 300-400 million dollars (that’s what Gazprom is ready to pay for a 50 percent share in the joint venture that is proposed to be created with Beltransgaz. - Ed. ) - what is worth, according to international auditors, $5 billion,” Mr. Lukashenko was indignant. And he immediately demonstrated loyalty to the interests of the country: “We are not so rich as to squander such funds. To sell a national treasure to another state in a market economy at book value - I cannot do that. I cannot commit a crime against my own people."
Gazprom has many times called the figure of $5 billion groundless, but they are forced to refute Mr. Lukashenko again and again. An interlocutor at the Russian concern told the Vremya Novostey newspaper that no international assessment of Beltransgaz’s business had been made: “We offered our colleagues a choice of any auditor from the Big Four, but they continue to insist on some unknown audit company, so the assessment the process is not moving." According to a Gazprom representative, it is very difficult to build a joint business in such an atmosphere, so today we are talking primarily about concluding a commercial contract for the supply and transit of gas between Gazprom and Beltransgaz. “In Minsk they continue to invent reasons why we should supply them with gas at Russian prices,” says a representative of the monopoly. Last Friday, Mr. Lukashenko voiced three reasons at once: Belarus is not allowed to participate in gas production at Russian fields, Beltransgaz does not have the right to re-export gas and, finally, otherwise Minsk will begin to revise other interstate agreements.
“We still offer an option. Give us a deposit. For example, we will produce 15 billion gas in Yamal, and Russia will pump it to us through pipes. This will be our gas, we’ll buy the rest,” Alexander Lukashenko outlined his ideas. “They (Russia - Ed. ) allowed Ukraine to sell 6 billion cubic meters annually to the West. Ukraine takes gas from Russia for $50 (per 1 thousand cubic meters - Ed. ), and sells it to the West for $110. Almost half a billion dollars are put in your pocket. If these are the conditions, then we agree for $50. But we also have the right to sell 6 billion cubic meters to the West,” the President of Belarus continued. True, he forgot to inform his voters that Ukraine, unlike Belarus, has its own production and purchases gas from Turkmenistan. However, these are mere trifles against the backdrop of threats to withdraw from other Russian-Belarusian agreements if Gazprom does not start supplying cheap gas.
The gas contracted from Transnafta (as the Vremya Novostey newspaper already wrote, a contract for 360 million cubic meters was signed by Beltransgaz on Thursday a few hours after the shutdown) will last Belarus until tomorrow evening. This means that, despite loud statements, Alexander Lukashenko will again have to decide: to look for funds to buy gas from independent suppliers, to negotiate with Gazprom, or to steal gas. Anna NAUMOVA, Minsk, Alexey GRIVACHS |
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