Belarus To Sell Gas Pipelines To Russia

Gazprom owns 50 percent of Beltransgaz

The Belarusian government says it is prepared to sell all its stakes in its natural gas pipelines to Russia's Gazprom for $2.5 billion.

The government has said First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko is in Moscow to complete the deal to sell its remaining 50 percent in Beltransgaz.

Gazprom already owns 50 percent of Beltransgaz, which conducts around 20 percent of Gazprom's gas exports to Europe. Belarus is currently in its worst economic crisis in its post-Soviet history.

compiled from agency reports