President of Belarus says oil disputes with Russia cost budget $700 mln

MINSK, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday his country's budget had been deprived of 1.5 billion Belarusian roubles ($700 million) due to oil disputes with Russia.

Relations between Minsk and traditional ally Russia are strained. The two countries earlier this year failed to agree an oil supply contract. (Reporting by Andrei Makhovsky; Writing by Alexander Marrow Editing by Andrew Osborn)