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Russia may lend Belarus $2 bln in 2008 - Kudrin

Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:27am EST

MOSCOW, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Russia will consider lending Belarus $2 billion in 2008 after having agreed to lend it $1.5 billion earlier this month to allow Minsk to pay for energy imports from Moscow, Russia's finance minister said on Thursday.

"There is a request from the presidents... We have to analyse the issue during the course of next year," Alexei Kudrin told reporters.

Belarus requested the first loan after Russia more than doubled gas prices for Minsk in 2007 to $100 per 1,000 cubic metres. Prices will rise further to $119 next year. (Reporting by Darya Korsunskaya, writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; editing by Douglas Busvine)



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