The issue related to the size of oil export duties for Belarus should be settled by 1 July 2010, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov said as he addressed the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus on 4 December.

In his words, there are eight crucial issues that have to be agreed in the formation of the single customs territory: six of them have already been settled, the remaining two include the methodological base and the most important one – the distribution of customs duties. “Now the three states are working on the new regulations that will be introduced in test regime on 1 April to be launched on 1 July 2010 with the necessary adjustments made,” the Vice Premier said.

Andrei Kobyakov noted that Belarus and Russia continue negotiating oil customs duties. In 2009 this issue will be raised during direct negotiations. In the near future Vice-Premier of Russia Igor Sechin will come to Belarus to hold talks with First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko.

When asked by reporters whether Belarus will be offered preferential terms for purchasing Russian oil in exchange for allowing Russian companies to take part in the privatization of Belarusian enterprises, Andrei Kobyakov said, ”This is a matter of separate negotiations.” In his words, the sides are busy holding the relevant consultations; the heads of state are interested in reaching an agreement on this issue.

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