Republic
01.02.2006
On January 31 president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met with chief of the oil company RussNeft Mikhail Gutsiriev.
As BelTA has been told in the head of state’s press service, the sides confirmed the interest to develop mutually beneficial cooperation and set out the prospects of further interaction.
The Belarusian leader noted the importance of the growth of the company which is an integrated oil holding company actively acquiring new oilfields and refinery assets.
During the meeting the sides discussed cooperation projects between Belarus and RussNeft, especially the ones to modernize the oil refineries in Belarus and petrochemical production at Polymir. “We have approached concrete cooperation projects”, the president said.
Among the promising projects – participation of the Russian company in construction of an oil cargo pier with the annual capacity of three million tons of oil.
The head of the company confirmed the intention of RussNeft to take part in modernization of Polymir. Mikhail Gutseriev called this project interesting and effective and can be divided into 4-5 stages. The company is ready to allocate its own funds and to use credit resources for this purpose.
The RussNeft chief has stated the readiness of the company to increase supplies of oil to the Belarusian oil refineries. “You can also count on additional five million tons of oil. We do not need any schedules for that”, Mikhail Gutseriev noted bearing in mind oil supplies by railway.
By the end of 2006 RussNeft will produce 24-25 million tons of oil, Mikhail Gutseriev informed.
The Russian guest has repeatedly confirmed readiness for long-term cooperation with Belarus.