Belarus seeks broader energy co-operation with Iran

Moscow, June 29, IRNA – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko here Monday said that his country is seeking alternative energy sales markets, including broader cooperation with Iran.

Lukashenko was referring to Minsk-Moscow energy dispute. “We should not rely on a single source in energy field", he added.

Stressing the need for safeguarding national interests, Lukashenko said: “Realizing this reality, a few years ago we got access to the oil and gas resources of Iran, Latin America, and Africa.”

He said, “We are now exploiting crude oil in Iran and refining the oil we buy from Venezuela.”

Lukashenko met with Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrus Kubilus proposing implementing shared projects aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.

Kubilus, too, in the meeting referring to the Russian-Belarusian gas dispute said that having a sole provider of a strategic good can sometimes become problematic for countries.

Belarus owes 200 million dollars to Russia over its natural gas imports that led to a gas dispute leading to 60% decrease of the Russian gas exports to Minsk./end