Minsk, Moscow to talk over energy row on Monday

MOSCOW, June 20 (Xinhua) -- A Belarusian delegation（代表团） that left for Moscow Sunday will hold talks over gas debt issue on Monday with the Russian side, said a representative from Belarusian Energy Ministry¹.
    The talks "will focus on the cost of gas transit² across Belarus and, correspondingly（相应地）, Gazprom's debt for transit" to Europe, said the representative（代表）, adding that discussions held between Gazprom and Belarusian Beltransgaz on Saturday failed to dissolve differences over debt setoffs.
    On Tuesday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened tough measures against Minsk if it does not pay off its arrears³ worth 200 million U.S. dollars in five days.
    Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller⁴ Thursday warned to cut gas supplies to Belarus by 85 percent from Monday over the lingering debts amounting to 200 million U.S. dollars.
    However, Belarus Deputy Energy Minister Edward Tovpinets claimed the gas debt is equal to the transit debt owed by Gazprom, which means the gas debt could be offset⁵.
    Meanwhile, a senior official from the Belarusian Energy Ministry told the RIA Novosti news agency Sunday that Russia may be entitled to cut gas supplies only by 15 percent based on current （现在的）contract terms, which equal to 200 million dollars.
    Belarus is a transit country for part of Russian gas exports to Europe.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

3 arrears   

n.到期未付之债，拖欠的款项；待做的工作

参考例句：

• The payments on that car loan are in arrears by three months.购车贷款的偿付被拖欠了三个月。
• They are urgent for payment of arrears of wages.他们催讨拖欠的工钱。

4 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

5 offset   

n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿

参考例句：

• Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
• He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。