A new gas conflict between Russia and Belarus may occur only if the leadership of Belarus takes steps "outside the legal field." This was announced by Vice-Speaker of Russian State Duma, the president of the Russian Gas Society Valery Yazev on October 8.
According to the parliamentarian, the new «gas crisis» could happen «only if Belarus, of course, on the behalf of President Lukashenko, will take some steps outside the contractual relationship, regardless of the legal field, as it has already been once,» Prime-Tass.
«Apart from this we clearly defined everything in treaties. I do not see any problems, they are not on the economic level de facto and should not be,» Valery Yazev said.
However, as Telegraf reported, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Alexander Surikov had previously noted that Belarus and Russia would be able to avoid a new «gas war» in the run-up to 2011. According to him, back in 2007 a contract between Gazprom and Beltransgaz was signed to supply gas to Belarus until 2011. Under this contract, the price for Russian gas could increase by 10% in 2011 as compared to 2010.
