Gazprom may be interested in Belarusian cos Grodno Azot, Mozyr refinery - source
MINSK. Sept 26 (Interfax) - Russian gas giant Gazprom might find itself interested in the privatization of Belarusian chemical fertilizer producer OJSC Grodno Azot and OJSC Mozyr Oil Refinery, a source close to Gazprom's talks with the Belarusian government has told Interfax.
"Gazprom is working, in addition to the delivery and transportation of gas, on other projects, particularly the production of chemical fertilizers, and in Belarus that is Grodno Azot, and oil refining via the company Gazprom Neft ," the source said in comments on Gazprom chief Alexei Miller's Thursday-Friday talks with the Belarusian president and prime minister. Together with TNK-BP , Gazprom Neft owns 42.58% of the refinery's stock.
According to this source, Gazprom's dialog with the Belarusian authorities has up to now "not produced a project for the building of the second line of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline," the first line of which has throughput capacity of 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas in Belarus and which was put into operation in 1999.
As reported, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is proposing that Gazprom consider the possibility of buying stock in companies in his country directly, in addition to 50% stake in Beltransgaz planned for November or December of this year.