Russia May Increase Its Steel Supplies To Council Of Europe

Russia may increase its steel supplies to the member countries of the Council of Europe by 30%. Chief of the Department for Trade Policies and y and Multilateral Negotiations the Economic Development and Trade Ministry of the Russian Federation Yevgeny Manakin declared this at a session of a press club in the Strategic Development Center today. According to him, these are preliminary results of negotiations held between Russia and the Council of Europe within a framework of the fifth session of the Russia-Council of Europe collaboration committee on November 30. If Russia doesn't sign a new agreement until January 1, 2002 (the old one will expire on December 31, 2001), the current volume of steel supplies will remain unchanged until the new agreement is signed. Such possibility will be discussed in the near future. According to Manakin, no decision on scrap metal and alloyed steel supplies has been made so far.