Beltransgaz and Gazprom have decided to set up a working group to study projects which can be put into operation in the near future, Gazprom's deputy chairman Alexander Medvedev said, in comments reported by ITAR-TASS. He was speaking after holding talks in Minsk with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. Medvedez said the two sides "want to increase the transit capacity across Belarus to supply gas to Europe". Both sides also want to increase the amount of underground gas storage capacity in Belarus to one billion cubic meters, Interfax reported. The announcement comes against the backdrop of the recent bitter dispute between Gazprom and Ukraine over gas prices, which led the Russian energy giant to cut off supplies before a deal was reached. Russian Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko has said Russia intends to continue to diversify its gas export routes in order to decrease its reliance on pipelines which cross Ukraine on their way to western European markets. PIN/AFP