Moscow may expand Yamal-Europe pipeline

MOSCOW, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Moscow could diversify its gas transit options to Europe with a second leg of the Yamal-Europe pipeline through Belarus, the Russian president said.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev outlined the terms of the bilateral relationship with Belarus, a relationship that includes military cooperation.

Speaking with Belarusian journalists at his presidential office, Medvedev lauded the economic terms of the relationship with Minsk, RIA Novosti reports.

"Experts have calculated that over the entire period of trade in our natural gas, oil and certain other commodities with Belarus, the total volume of preferences granted to the Belarusian economy reached some $50 billion," he said.

Moscow is looking for ways to diversify its gas transit options to Europe as 80 percent of its gas heads to the region through Soviet-era pipelines in Ukraine.

Medvedev said building a second leg of the Yamal-Europe pipeline through Belarus would contribute to a diverse regional energy sector.

"I think the more possibilities there are for Russian gas supplies to Europe, the better it will be for both Europe and Russia," he said.

Yamal-Europe travels more than 2,000 miles from gas fields in Siberia to European markets.