Belarus is ready to transporte 2.5 million tons of Venezuelan oil through the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda each year since January 2011. This was announced during the talks of Presidents of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and Lithuania Dali Grybauskaite and the First Vice-Premier of Belarus Vladimir Semashko on October 20.
«We have begun to import oil from Venezuela this year for obvious reasons. It is more profitable than buying a certain volume in Russia with one hundred percent duty,» Vladimir Semashko said.
In this case, First Deputy Prime Minister reminded that there is an agreement between Belarus and Venezuela for the oil supply of four million tons in 2010, and there is also a contract for annual oil supply of ten million tons in 2011-2013, signed during the visit of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to Minsk.
«The first meeting of the joint Belarusian-Lithuanian Energy Commission took place in Palanga and Klaipeda on October 6-7. We agreed that, beginning from December 2010 (January 1, 2011 is a deadline) we are ready to guarantee 2.5 million tons of oil delivery to Klaipeda and its further transportation to our refineries, primarily by Navapolatsk rail,» Vladimir Semashko said, BelTA informs.
«Delivery of the test oil consignment through the port of Klaipeda in August and September 2010 was a success, the first vice-premier noted. — We are satisfied and so is your country. We solved the technical problem. Now we need to optimize logistics, the economy to make it profitable for both of us.»
«We agreed that our economic entities (Belarusian Oil Company and «Klaipedos Nafta») will work hard to sign a commercial contract on November 1,» Vladimir Semashko said.
5 Million Tons of Oil is Planned to Deliver via Klaipeda in Prospective, Semashko
According to the first deputy prime minister, up to five million tons of oil will be delivered via Klaipeda in prospective. In its turn, oil delivery by rail transport is considered as an intermediate step. In the future, according to Vladimir Semashko, it will be possible to transport oil through the existing pipeline or to construct a new one.
Also, LNG terminal was decided to build in order to diversify natural gas supplies to the republic. «It would also be a plus to have such a terminal in Klaipeda,» the first deputy prime minister said.
«We are searching and figuring out a few options. And if it turns out that Klaipeda is preferable, then we are sure to sign a contract between business entities and intergovernmental agreement as well, because we need a guarantee in case we start to build a gas pipeline, oil pipeline, which includes matters of the land use,» Vladimir Semashko concluded.
Not only Lithuania, but the EU and Belarus are Interested in Using the Baltic Ports, Grybauskaite
In turn, the Lithuanian president Grybauskaite noted the readiness of the Lithuanian side to promote cooperation in the energy sector. «We have already said that, you are most likely to have a couple of points for the volumes, Belarus needs to transport raw materials through the Baltic ports. It is unlikely to turn into advantage to focus on a single country, because our capacities have their limits, too,» the Lithuanian President said.
According to Dalia Grybauskaite, the Lithuanian side is open either to «cooperate or, if necessary, to help in the framework of European requirements.» «We understand your position. It often coincides with our interests, especially when guarantees the diversification of energy supplies. Not only Lithuania, but the entire EU is interested in your usage of the European territory, the Baltic ports,» Grybauskaite summarized.
