Russia-Belarus oil controversy hits Europe supply

[lovuian]

http://english.pravda.ru/russia/economics/09-01-2007/86258-Russia_oil-0
Russia halted oil supplies to Germany and Poland via Belarus Monday as an escalating trade feud between Minsk and Moscow renewed Europe's concerns about over-dependence on Russian energy.

Moscow shut off oil flowing through the Friendship pipeline, which runs through Belarus, after Belarus siphoned 79,000 tons of Russian oil, according to Russian officials.

Belarus officials said they diverted Russian oil from the pipeline, but only because Moscow had balked at paying transit fees for permission to use the pipeline.

The dispute put Europe once again in the position of questioning its dependence on Russia for its energy supplies. Last year, in the midst of a row with Ukraine over natural-gas prices, Russia shut down gas to Ukraine, disrupting the flow of gas to several European Union countries farther along the pipeline, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Regardless of the cause, the disruption along the Druzhba, or Friendship, pipeline affected supplies of crude oil headed to Poland, Germany and Ukraine. In the short term, at least, the halt should have a minimal effect, because refineries in those countries maintain reserves. In the longer term as well, the disruption is not as threatening as a shut-off of natural gas, because alternative sources of oil are more readily available.
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How Ironical to call this the Friendship Pipeline

[Psephos]

1. There's only appropriate response to this, given EU's position

"Thank you sir, may I have another?"

Peace.

[BlueStateModerate]

2. Well

It looks like Belarus is kind of getting what it deserves for jacking Russia's oil. It's a pity that all of Europe has to suffer for it, though.

[RB TexLa]

3. It was in the contract, they could take oil in lieu of payment

from what I understood.