Oikl duties not abolished: Minsk accuses Moscow of "backstabbing"

The commission of the Customs union failed to adopt a decision on export duties for oil products for Belarus.

The Russian side has blocked discussion over the issue of export duties in mutual trade of the members of the Customs union at the session of the Commission ofg the Customs union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan on April 16 in Moscow, "Intefax" was told by a representative of the Belarusian delegation who took part in the session.

He stated that the issue was considered by initiative of the Belarsuian side, which challenges Russia's imposing export duties for oil products and petrochemical raw materials delieverd to Belarus since January 1, 2010.

"Unfortunately, the position of the Russian side hasn't changed -- they state that they have a right as they think proper to impose export duties on goods in the framework of the Customs union in accordance to the national law ," the interlocutor said.

"So far they confirm their readiness to abolish export duties from the date of creation of the Common economic space, that is from January 1, 2012. But can they be trusted now?" the person asked the rhetorical question.

He underlined that Minsk views this position of Moscow as "backstabbing".

"When preparing and signing the agreement on oil we were sure that export duties on oil products would be abolished automatically. There were no doubts for us, we could not even imagine that Russia would keep them treacherously," he said with regret.

The interlocutor explained that the Russian side explains slapping export duties on oil products by delivering to Belarus 6.3 mln tons of oil this year without duties, which is according to Russian government should cover internal needs of Belarus in oil and oil products.

However, "when the protocol on oil was being prepared hastily, we were thinking about fuel only, about petrol and diesel fuel for internal needs, not expecting that duties for pertochemical products would be preserved as well, as agreements on free trade within the CIS and and bilateral agreements between belarus and Russia are in force," he reminded. As said by him, "considering pertochemical products, the volume of internal needs in oil is considerably growing. Besides, a number of positions of pertochemical goods are not produced by Belarusian oil refineries".

The interlocutor stated tht on te results of the meeting of the Customs union commission "no doubts are left that since July 1, 2010, the day of coming in force of the common customs spacem export duties for oil products for Belarus would not be abolished".

At the same time he reiterated the intention of Minsk to continue maintaining its attitude, and also in the Economic Court of the CIS.