MOSCOW. Sept 24 (Interfax) - The Russian government might make a decision on building the Baltic Pipeline System-2 in the near future, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin told journalists. "I think this will happen in the near future. The work on this project is already under way.

Excerpt from report by Interfax-Ukraine news agency Minsk, 1 September: The Belarusian government finds it advisable to invite the Russian company Transneft to participate in the privatization of its state oil transporting companies, the Druzhba Navapolatsk oil transport national unitary company and the Homeltransnafta Druzhba national unitary company, whose shares are to be sold in 2009, a source from the government has told the Interfax-West news agency.

Text of report in English by Russian state news agency ITAR-TASS Moscow, 22 May: Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev begins a state visit to Kazakhstan on Thursday 22 May. Pumping oil via Russian territory remains a priority for Kazakhstan.

PRIMORSK. May 14 (Interfax) - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin expects that the shipment of Russian oil products for export will soon be rerouted from Baltic states to ports in Russia.

UST-LUGA. May 14 (Interfax) - Russia intends to fully live up to its obligations regarding oil deliveries, including those to European consumers, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in Ust-Luga.