Oil stoppage likely soon if no deal reached - traders
* Pre-paid oil volumes running low
By Gleb Gorodyankin and Vladimir Soldatkin
MOSCOW, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Time is running out for Moscow and Minsk to reach agreement on terms for Russian oil supplies to Belarus, traders said on Thursday, raising the likelihood of a stoppage in crude flows any time over the next few days.
Russia could soon cut supplies to Belarussian refineries, the traders told Reuters. While this would not affect transit supplies to Europe, it raises the spectre of disruptions should the dispute escalate or should Minsk choose to divert flows.
"I guess oil supply cuts should be expected soon," a trader at a Russian oil major told Reuters.
Europe, mindful of a dispute in 2007 that cut Russian oil supplies via Belarus, is keen that the ex-Soviet states resolve their differences over oil pricing and tariffs. Talks broke down on New Year's Eve and have faltered several times since.
The Belarussian spur of the Druzhba pipeline supplies about one-tenth of Europe's supplies from West Siberia
Source:uk.reuters.com/
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