BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 6
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
Kazakhstan is counting on signing the agreement on oil export to Belarus in the beginning of 2020, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Energy Asset Magauov said, Trend reports with reference to Kazakh media.
Thus, according to Magauov, currently the signing date depends on the speed of passing the necessary procedures.
“If we go through our domestic procedures, scientific and legal, linguistic expertise, coordinate with the Ministry of Justice fast enough, then the entire process may take a month. Thus, I think to sign the agreement in the beginning of the next year is very possible,” the vice minister said.
At the same time, Magauov noted that Belarus is more interested in importing raw materials than in petroleum products.
“We are talking oil, naphtha, gasoil, which could be used at Belarusian refineries. Total volume of export which was named during negotiations is over 3.2 million tons, which Belarusian party would like to receive by various means of transport,” Magauov said.
Overall, he said, the parties have reached a consensus.
“After we agree on the export volume, we will be able to talk on the transport means,” Magauov said.
At a meeting with ex-Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belarus Ermukhamet Ertysbayev in May 2019, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko proposed to activate negotiations on export of Kazakh oil to Belarus.
According to Kazakh Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev, during Lukashenko’s visit to Kazakhstan, parties signed a preliminary agreement on export of Kazakhstan’s oil and petroleum products to Belarus and on overall cooperation in the area. He added that Kazakhstan is planning on exporting from 1 to 3.5 million tons of oil and petroleum products a year to Belarus.
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