MOSCOW, November 22 (Itar-Tass) – Price of Russian natural gas will go down almost 50% for Belarus next year and will be tied up to Russia’s domestic prices as of 2013, the Moscow-based daily Vedomosti said Tuesday quoting its own well-informed sources.
“The price of Russian gas /for Belarus/ is due to go down sharply next year and will be fixed through to the yearend,” the newspaper said. “As of 2013, it will be computed on the basis of a formula taking account of the price in one of Russia’s regions.”
“Documents on this are to be signed at a level of intergovernmental agreements and contracts with Gazprom,” two Russian state officials familiar with the progress of talks on the issue told Vedomosti.
The price for 2012, which is being discussed now, stands at slightly over $ 150 per 1,000 cubic meters in contrast to the current price of $ 300. Gazprom’s averaged forecast for the domestic Russian price for 2011 stands in the neighborhood of $ 99 exclusive of the VAT and $ 106-to-107 for 2012.
“Neither Gazprom’s executives nor representatives of the Russian and Belarussian governments comment on the situation, and the virtually the only thing known officially is that Minsk expects a considerable reduction of prices as of 2012,” Vedomosti said.