MOSCOW, January 4. / TASS /. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Belarus Prime Minister Sergei Rumas held telephone conversations at the initiative of the Belarusian side on Saturday, the Russian Government press service told TASS in a statement.
"The heads of government exchanged warm wishes on the New Year and upcoming Christmas, and also discussed a number of pressing issues of bilateral cooperation, including cooperation in the field of energy," the statement said.
According to the press service of the Council of Ministers of Belarus, "during the conversation, the parties discussed the situation with oil supplies to Belarusian refineries, as well as other issues of integration cooperation."
On Monday, December 30, the Russian and Belarussian leaders had a detailed telephone conversation on oil and gas supplies to Belarus. Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko agreed that the governments of the two countries would draft interim conditions of oil and gas supplies, if economic entities fail to come to terms by January 1. Lukashenko also discussed these issues on December 31 with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak. On the same day, Lukashenko instructed the management of the petrochemical complex to conclude contracts for the supply of oil and work out the conditions for the supply of raw materials from the Baltic ports by rail and through the Druzhba pipeline. However, no agreements were concluded.
Then, on Friday, the Belneftekhim concern stated that Russian oil was not supplied starting on January 1, and that refinery loading was reduced to the minimum technologically permissible level. Due to this, the concern later reported that Belarus had temporarily suspended the export of oil products produced at its refineries. On Monday, December 30, the Russian and Belarussian leaders had a detailed telephone conversation on oil and gas supplies to Belarus. Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko agreed that the governments of the two countries would draft interim conditions of oil and gas supplies, if economic entities fail to come to terms by January 1. Lukashenko also discussed these issues on December 31 with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak. On the same day, Lukashenko instructed the management of the petrochemical complex to conclude contracts for the supply of oil and work out the conditions for the supply of raw materials from the Baltic ports by rail and through the Druzhba pipeline. However, no agreements were concluded.
Then, on Friday, the Belneftekhim concern stated that Russian oil was not supplied starting on January 1, and that refinery loading was reduced to the minimum technologically permissible level. Due to this, the concern later reported that Belarus had temporarily suspended the export of oil products produced at its refineries.