Russia Resumes Pumping Oil to Europe

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/w-eur/2007/jan/11/011100205.html

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia resumed pumping oil to Europe via Belarus on Thursday, ending a three-day suspension of supplies caused by a dispute between the former Soviet neighbors that has left lasting doubts in European capitals about Russia's dependability as an energy supplier.

The Russian state pipeline operator said that it had started deliveries to Germany and a number of Eastern European countries through Belarus Thursday morning.

"Russian oil is flowing through the Druzhba pipeline to Europe," OAO Transneft Vice President Sergei Grigoriyev told The Associated Press.

This followed a resumption of supplies late Wednesday by Belarus, which was compensating Russia for 87,000 tons of crude that it had illegally siphoned off, Grigoriyev said.

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