MINSK, November 5 (RIA Novosti) – Belarus has reached an agreement with Russia on the delivery of 5.3 million tons of Russian oil to the republic in the fourth quarter of the year, Belarusian First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko said on Monday.
“The problem concerning the delivery of the required volumes of oil in the fourth quarter of 2012 has been resolved with the Russian government. An agreement has been reached,” Semashko said.
Under the agreement, Russia will deliver a total of 21.5 million tons this year, he added.
In October, Belarus saw a drop in industrial production growth rates, caused mainly by a reduction in Russian oil refining volumes, Semashko said.
He admitted that Belarusian refineries and associated enterprises have been affected by a fall in oil supplies.
Earlier this year, the Russian Energy Ministry said the stoppage of several refineries for scheduled repairs was one cause for a gasoline shortage on the domestic retail market.