Belarus PM: Gas deal by Monday

Belarus and Russian natural gas giant OAO Gazprom will work out a gas price by Monday's deadline, Belarus' prime minister said Thursday.

"We are practically satisfied with the course of negotiations held by our experts, and with the fact that an agreement has been reached on the price of gas for Belarus at $75 per 1,000 cubic meters," Sergei Sidorsky was quoted by the Russian Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

Earlier Thursday, Sidorsky had a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Fradkov, Itar-Tass said.

Belarus is buying gas from Russia at $46.70 per 1,000 cubic meters through a contract that expires Sunday.

State-controlled Gazprom has demanded Belarus pay $105 per 1,000 cubic meters next year. Belarus would pay for the increase with $75 in cash and $30 by ceding a half-share of its own government-controlled pipeline operator to Gazprom.