Belarus is negotiating oil supplies from Kazakhstan, Alyaksandr Lukashenka annoounced last week. He met in Minsk with the ambassador of Kazakhstan Yermukhamet Yertysbayev. Lukashenka has proposed to intensify negotiations.
“We are now engaged in the diversification of hydrocarbons' supplies,” BelTA quotes Lukashenka as saying. “We ... are negotiating the supply of oil to Belarus from other sources.”
The Belarusian president said that this year 'mostly' the modernization of oil refineries will be completed. “Therefore, it will be a little easier for us to buy oil from world markets,” said Lukashenks. He expressed hope that negotiations with Kazakhstan will be successful. Also, the head of state recalled that it would be necessary to resolve the issue of transit with Russia. Lukashenka hopes that they will be able to find agreement with Moscow. He reminded the ambassador of Kazakhstan that Russia is "a country which is close to us".