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Call to look out for Belarus best interest in oil compensation talks with Russia

NOVOPOLOTSK, 7 June (BelTA) – Issues related to the compensation for Belarus due to the situation with poor-quality Russian oil should be addressed exclusively in a business-like manner, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko told the leadership of the Belarusian oil refineries as he visited OAO Naftan on 7 June, BelTA has learned.

Contaminated oil reached the Mozyr Oil Refinery and Naftan. The two companies were forced to reduce their workload.  “You are a businessman, a head of the company. You aim for maximum numbers: be it revenue, output, or sales, or damage compensation,” the head of state said addressing Naftan Director General Aleksandr Demidov.

“No need for extreme measures or pressure. The main thing is to look out for the best interest of the company and the state. No need to kneel begging. You just should address such matters in a business-like manner,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that, according to the recent media reports, a number of international companies want up to $800 million in damages from Russia. “We have suffered the worst. But they say that Belarusians have incurred almost no losses. How come? We need to keep an eye on what is going. Why they are paying $800 million in damages, while we, who got hit the worst, are getting only about $20 million. We need to follow this situation closely,” the president said.

BelTA reported earlier that on 19 April Belneftekhim registered a massive decrease in the quality of the Russian oil mixture Urals flowing in transit into the main oil pipeline section operated by OAO Gomeltransneft Druzhba. The concentration of chlororganic compounds in oil exceeded standard thresholds dozens of times over. Both Belarusian oil refineries – OAO Naftan and Mozyr Oil Refinery – were forced to reduce their workload and have suffered financial losses. A roadmap on removing poor-quality Russian oil from the Belarusian territory was finalized on 23 May.

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