MINSK, January 29. /TASS/. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko ordered the government to hold negotiations and sign an agreement with Kazakhstan on oil supplies, the presidential press service said on Wednesday.

"The head of state Alexander Lukashenko by Executive Order No. 27 authorized the government to hold talks with Kazakhstan on trade and economic cooperation in the area of oil and oil products’ supplies to Belarus and on the draft agreement and its signing when reaching the agreement within the approved draft limits," the press service said. Minsk continues its work on diversification of crude oil supplies, it added.

Contracts on Russian oil supplies to Belarus ended on December 31 of the last year. The parties are holding talks on their extension since then, which are dragged out because of disagreements between the parties on the supply and transportation prices. Russneft and Neftisa companies controlled by Russian businessman Mikhail Gutseriev resumed oil supplies to Belarus from January 4. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko tasked the government to work out alternatives for oil supplies.