Presidents of four leading Russian oil companies ask for equal conditions for access to export pipelines

The presidents of four leading Russian oil companies - Vagit Alekperov of LUKoil, Mikhail Khodorovsky of Yukos, Semen Kukes of Tyumen Oil Company and Yevgeny Shvidler of Sibneft - wrote a letter to Russian Energy Minister Alexander Gavrin, asking for equal conditions for access to export pipelines. The presidents demanded that every company should produce proportional volumes of oil for export. At the same time, the presidents suggested canceling any export privileges. This letter may be regarded as a preventive measure before a meeting of heads of large oil companies with representatives of the government, RBC announces. The meeting is scheduled for February 2001, the Segodnya newspaper reported.