Belarus Requests Russia Not To Sell Its Stake In Slavneft

The House of Representatives of the National Council of Belarus made an inquiry to the Russian State Duma and asked Russia not to sale a part of its stake in the authorized capital of the Slavneft oil company. According to Belarus officials, activities of the Russian-Belarus company Slavneft are "among positive stages of an increase of the Russian-Belarus economic integration." The implementation of such projects as Slavneft-Yaroslavnefteorgsintez and the Mozyrsky refinery will help to increase revenues from Slavneft's dividends to the budgets of the two countries. Thus, Belarus considers it important to maintain state control over Slavneft and refrain from selling 19.68% of its authorized capital. The State Duma Property Committee will consider this document at its session on November 12 and elaborate on the State Duma's inquiry to Russian Premier Mikhail Kasyanov, requesting to take into consideration the position of the Belarus parliament while making a final decision on the sale of the stake in Slavneft in 2002.