SOCAR: Crude will not be sent to Belarus in May

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) will not export oil to Belarusian state petrochemical concern Belneftekhim in May, Ibrahim Ahmadov, deputy head of SOCAR's public relations and events department, told Report, citing absence of any order for deliveries last month and for this month.

"We proceed with our cooperation with Belarus, however at the same time we are not going to violate any international sanctions," the SOCAR spokesman said.

In January-April this year, Azerbaijan delivered $131 million of the $1,575,000,000 worth of oil imported by Belarus.

Under the agreement signed by SOCAR Trading with the Belarusian concern, up to 1 million tons of oil will be exported to Belarus this year. In January-March, 360,100 tons of oil was supplied to Belarus in four batches.

The memorandum of understanding signed between SOCAR and Belneftekhim on April 14 envisages joint export of oil products from Belarus, joint sale of Azerbaijani oil in the Belarusian market, as well as the implementation of collaborative investment projects.

The United States has recently imposed sanctions on nine Belarusian state-owned companies. Among these companies is the Belneftekhim oil company, which cooperates with SOCAR.