Europe shouldn't Be Hostage of Gas Conflict between Belarus and Russia

Gunther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy, discussed with Sergey Shmatko, Minister of Energy of Russia, and Vladimir Semashko, the vice-premier of Belarus, the situation with gas transit through the Belarus. As the representative of Eurocommission stated, the European consumers "shouldn't become the hostages" of the gas conflict between Minsk and Moscow.

"We demand from both parties to co-operate honestly and to resolve the problem. The Eurocommission expects that gas streams from Russia in the European Union in direction of each of the interested states won't suffer and the contract obligations will be observed", Gunther Oettinger said, RIA Novosti informs.

As Telegraf informed, in the afternoon on June, 22nd the president of Belarus disposed to limit gas transit to Europe in connection with Gazprom reduction of the gas delivery to Belarus (restricted volumes reached 60 % in the morning on June, 23rd).

The conflict between two countries started because of Belarusian debts for gas delivery, which amounted about 190 million dollars from the beginning of the year and Gazprom debt for gas transit through Belarus which reached about 260 million dollars for five months 2010. Both parties of the conflict  refuse to repay the debts for a while.

Source: Telegraf