Russia, Belarus Continue Energy Talks

The Russian-Belarus talks in Moscow today (ITAR-TASS)

January 12, 2007 -- The prime ministers of Russia and Belarus, Mikhail Fradkov and Syarhey Sidorski, are continuing talks today on issues related to the transit of Russian oil through Belarus to Western Europe.

In comments on January 11, Fradkov admitted that Russia's image as a reliable energy supplier was damaged as a result of the dispute with Belarus that this week led to a halt of Russian oil supplies going through Belarus.

The Russian oil resumed flowing late on January 10 after Belarus cancelled a new transit fee that had been imposed after Russia doubled gas prices to Belarus and imposed an oil-export duty.

(AFP, ITAR-TASS)