Russia to allow only debt-free companies to export oil.

Russia's first Vice Premier Viktor Khristenko told after a meeting with acting president Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin that Russia would not allow companies which have arrears in their payments towards the budget to export oil.
"A decision has been made that the access to the export pipeline for oil companies in the year 2000 will be conditioned on one circumstance - complete absence of arrears in their payments towards the budget. This will be the only basis for oil exports," Khristenko said.