Russia may cut oil production amid dispute with Belarus - LAT

[Eugene]

Russia may cut oil production amid dispute with Belarus
Putin's comments seem to hold out the threat that negotiations could drag on
for days or months.
By David Holley, Times Staff Writer
January 10, 2007

MOSCOW — A Russian-Belarusian oil dispute that has shut down a key pipeline carrying
crude oil to European customers may drag on long enough to force Moscow to cut
production, Russian President Vladimir V. Putin said Tuesday.

The bitter spat between the longtime allies led to a cutoff Monday in the flow of oil across
Belarus, prompting complaints from European officials.

A warm winter has left Europe with abundant oil supplies, triggering falling prices and
keeping a lid on the severity of the continent's short-term worries about the cutoff. But the
dispute, which concerns oil taxes and transit fees, has revived fears in the European Union
about overreliance on Russian energy and has focused attention on efforts to come up with
a comprehensive European energy policy.

-snip-

In televised remarks made at a meeting of Cabinet ministers, Putin ordered officials "to
discuss with Russian oil-producing companies the possibility of reducing oil production in
connection with the problems that arose when transporting our oil through Belarus' territory."

-snip-

Full article: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-russoil10jan10,1,2731027.story

Also:
Angry Merkel attacks Putin over latest pipeline closure - The Guardian
Russia 'in new threat to Belarus' - BBC