AlHijjah 29, 1432, Nov 25, 2011, SPA -- Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin ramped up efforts to aid ailing Belarus on Friday, announcing that Moscow is to expand credit for a planned nuclear power plant in the neighbouring country from 6 to up to 10 billion dollars, as dpa reported. In addition, Russia is to lower the gas price for Belarus by a third, to 164 dollars per 1,000 cubic metres, compared to the around 400 dollars paid by Western European clients, the Interfax newswire quoted Putin as saying. In return, Russia's state-owned gas provider Gazprom is taking over Belarusian counterpart Beltrangas by doubling its stake to 100 per cent. The troubled economy of Belarus, which is governed by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, depends on foreign credits. The planned nuclear power plant is to start operating in 2018.
