Gazprom to sign new contract with Belarus on own conditions

Gazprom notices some progress in negotiations with Belarus on working out a supplement to the contract for 2010, which may be signed soon.

It was said by Gazprom chief Alexey Miller at a press conference after Gazprom’s annual shareholders meeting, RIA Novosti reports.

“We are carrying out a dialogue with our Belarusian colleagues. We are having a constructive dialogue, all principal questions of the supplement have been solved,” Miller said.

According to him, after transit and supplies were resumed in full, the gas company’s manages continued phone conversations with Beltransgaz and the Belarusian deputy PM on Thursday night, Gazprom chief said.

“We have progress, no principal divergences are noticed. We hope the supplement will be signed in the nearest time,” Miller said.

“Gazprom has sent Belarus documents allowing increasing fee for Russian gas transit if Minsk raise domestic wholesale prices Beltransgaz(with a 50% stake owned by Gazprom) sell fuel. A special supplement of the contract is meant here.

Gazprom offers to update the previously arranged conditions of domestic gas sales, according to which Beltransgaz’s wholesale uplift was to amount to $10.47 per 1,000 cubic meters in 2009 and $11.07 in 2010.