SHKLOV REGION, 18 June (BelTA) – Belarus suggests that Russia should lift duties from oil products in 2010 and from oil as from 1 January 2011, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko told media on 18 June.
Speaking about the recent talks in Moscow and in particular about the duties on oil and oil products that Belarus pays, Alexander Lukashenko said that “the matter is not for us to resolve”. “You have heard my regular statements that if we create a union, including a Customs Union, we should definitely create equal conditions for all participants. It is the key principle. If there is no equality, a union is out of the question,” remarked the President. He added, the Customs Union includes three members but Russia’s attitude to Belarus and Kazakhstan is different sometimes. For instance, Kazakhstan buys oil without duties while Belarus has to pay the duties.
In his words, these matters have been discussed with Russia’s leadership. The President of Russia asked what proposals Belarus could make. “I made those proposals and can voice them now,” said Alexander Lukashenko.
The Belarusian head of state is convinced that in order to get down to creating the Customs Union, the customs duties must go away. “But I said it was ok, let’s lift all the duties starting next year. As a step of good will let’s remove customs barriers and customs duties on oil products. The duties on oil products could be removed now while we can wait with removing the duties on oil till next year,” said Alexander Lukashenko.
“But as from 1 January 2011 these duties have to be removed,” the Belarus President made it clear. In this case, Alexander Lukashenko added, “we will sign all the documents, which primarily serve Russia’s interests, without waiting till 1 January”.
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