MINSK, Aug 2: Belarus promised on Thursday to pay nearly half a billion dollars to Russia’s Gazprom to avoid a gas cut-off, while Gazprom expressed confidence a deal could be reached before the Friday deadline.

Belarus, a key transit state for Russian gas imports to western Europe, had fallen behind by $460 million in payments for Russian gas, prompting a warning from Gazprom it would slash deliveries by half from Friday.

In an effort to avert the crisis, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Thursday that Minsk would pay the full sum from national currency reserves.

“I have ordered the government to dip into our reserves and pay the $460 million for Russian gas,” he was quoted as saying by the presidential press service.

“Let them take it and calm down,” Lukashenko said.

Gazprom had said on Wednesday that Belarus' failure to pay gas bills would force a reduction in supplies by 45 per cent from Friday, prompting expressions of concern from the European Commission.

Following Lukashenko’s announcement, Gazprom expressed confidence that a deal could be reached before the Friday deadline.

“We are of course reassured by the announcement from the Belarussian side today that they are ready to pay their gas debts,” Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said on NTV television.

“Tomorrow we will continue contacts with Beltransgaz,” he said, referring to Belarus' state gas pipeline operator. “The time before 10:00 am (0600 GMT), when we are planning to cut supplies, is enough to resolve this question.”

The latest energy crisis between Russia and one of its ex-Soviet neighbours renewed European concerns about how such disputes can affect European energy supplies.

—AFP