Belarus President pleased with cooperation with Gazprom

MINSK, 22 November (BelTA) – Cooperation between Belarus and the Russian company OAO Gazprom has reached new heights. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko made the statement as he met with Gazprom Chairman of the Board Mr Alexei Miller on 22 November, BelTA has learned.

Alexander Lukashenko said: “I am very pleased that we no longer have to start a new year without an agreement on volumes or natural gas prices. I think we don’t see acute problems like that anymore”.

“Contrariwise, we see only plans for the future and great plans at that,” confirmed Alexei Miller.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus-Gazprom cooperation has reached a new level. “I know that we have been discussing several joint projects with Gazprom and you may suggest some new ones,” said the President. “At least as far as the projects that were suggested earlier are concerned, cooperation avenues that satisfy both sides have been found. We can discuss them with you but the solutions have been found”.

“We are greatly pleased with Gazprom’s more daring advancement of huge investments in Belarus. We support it, it is profitable for us,” stressed the head of state. Yet he remarked that this kind of cooperation is profitable for Gazprom, too.

“Let’s talk about these projects and outline our future cooperation ways,” suggested the Belarusian leader.

In turn, Alexei Miller thanked Alexander Lukashenko for the opportunity to visit Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the Brest Fortress in August 2012. “I was greatly impressed by the Brest Fortress and we’ve decided to restore the southeastern barracks, perform a major overhaul and place an exhibition there. We will help the Brest Fortress, provide finance and render all kinds of aid,” said Alexei Miller.

Alexei Miller also shared his impressions of visiting Belovezhskaya Pushcha. “I am lost for words. Everything is magnificent. I like picking up mushrooms and enjoyed myself a lot because I collected a basket of king bolete within half an hour”. “The environment there is just fantastic. There is some kind of special energy, the air that you can drink. One can breathe and feel keen pleasure,” added Alexei Miller.