Russia promises to fulfill obligations for transit of Kazakh oil

Russia's obligations for transit of Kazakh oil in 2003 will be fulfilled, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko told journalists today. "Our obligations under contracts with Kazakhstan for this year must be fulfilled," he stressed.

The Deputy Prime Minister admitted there were some failures in the implementation of these contracts in the first quarter of 2003. The Transneft oil transportation company and the Russian Energy Ministry were entrusted to improve this situation. "There must be no barriers to strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Russia," Khristenko was quoted as saying.