国际英语新闻：Belarusian president orders shutdown of gas transit to Europe

Belarusian state gas company Beltransgaz earlier on Tuesday said it would siphon off Russian gas supplies to Europe for its own need, the RIA Novosti reported citing Belta agency.

The move followed Russian Gazprom's further cut of gas supplies to Minsk by 30 percent earlier in the day over a debt of 200 million U.S. dollars for gas Belarus consumed.

Minutes before the presidential announcement, a spokeswoman from Belarusian Energy Ministry ensured that Minsk would continue to honor its gas transit commitment in full, despite the 30 percent cut in gas supplies.

"Transit of natural gas via the Belarusian gas transport system and along the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline is being carried out in full, despite the reduction in supplies for domestic needs," Lyudmila Zenkovich said.

According to Zenkovich, Belarus did not tap gas from its transit pipeline but had to switch a number of its power plants to reserve fuel.

"Without waiting for Gazprom to pay for the transit of Russian gas through the territory of Belarus, Belarus has paid in full for the Russian gas supplied to it in May," she added.

The European Commission was mulling over an emergency meeting to settle the gas debt disputes between the two countries on Tuesday.

The RIA Novosti reported citing a Commission spokeswoman Marlene Holzner that the Commission would hold a working meeting with Belarus, which had previously notified Brussels of the possible gas transit disruptions.