Azerbaijan Rejects Sales of Cheap Oil to Belarus

Long-term cooperation with Iran also breaks down.

Minsk assessed the Azeri oil too low, that's why Baku had to reject the cooperation. The head of the Oil Research Centre Ilham Zhaban said, belsat.eu informs.

According to Shaban, in 2016 Azerbaijan sent in Belarus only one shipment of oil of more than 500 thousand tons. At the beginning of this year deliveries were ceased.

"The Belarusian media inform that the government has plans to buy Azeri oil only at $30 per barrel. That is, at the same price Belarus imports Russian oil. Azerbaijan sales oil at its market value," the expert notes.

Shaban notes that oil projects cannot be social or intergovernmental programme.

"That is, assignments are out of the question, even if the importer and the exporter enjoy warm and friendly relations. We cannot make discount, but can guarantee the supply of high quality fuel that meets European standards," he added.

Head of the Oil Research Center notes that the further exporter locates, the more expensive oil is.

"Therefore, we can say that the partnership with Iran will not be of a long-term nature. Most likely, the Iranians will make two-three deliveries to Belarus, and that will be the end of cooperation," Shaban mentioned.

On February 18 it became known that Iran would supply 600 thousand barrels (84 thousand tons) of oil to Belarus before the end of February. Belneftekhim does not confirm this information. However, it is stressed that "the group company is engaged in carrying out orders of the head of the state to diversify oil supplies."