Bartulis made the comment after returning from the meeting with the heads of the Belarussian state-run energy concern Belenergo and the Belresursy concern held in Minsk Aug. 19.
The Belarussian debt to Lietuvos Energija, the state power company, for supplied electricity currently amounts to 365.1 million litas ($91.28 million).
Lithuania and Belarus had earlier agreed that the latter would pay the debt with merchandise. The deal was done through the Lithuanian operator Baltic SHEM to which Belarus transferred 134 million litas' worth of goods.
Up to now, Baltic SHEM has transferred only 32.6 million litas into Lietuvos Energija's accounts. Under the current debt repayment schedule, it is due to transfer 12.8 million litas by the end of August, 1.6 million litas in September and the rest of the sum by the end of this year.
Commenting on the talks in Minsk, Bartulis said the negotiations with Bel-resursy were more successful than those with Belenergo.
Belresursy agreed that three to five operators could be engaged in the sale of goods. It also offered to make settlements not only in black oil and metals but in timber and gas as well.
The Lithuanian side has proposed that Lietuvos Energija and Belenergo conclude a new agreement.
"Belenergo managers told us that they did not have and would not have money, and that they could pay in cash only for one-tenth of energy [supplies]," Bartulis said.
"We did not come to an agreement on possible guarantees from the Bela-russian government either," he said.
The Belarussian government, however, has appointed a working group for settlements with Lithuania. The neighboring country is interested in renewing the contract on the purchase of Lithuanian electricity, the official added. Bartulis said the country will need energy in November.
Lietuvos Energija will draft two-way agreements on settlement and electricity supplies to be discussed in Minsk on Aug. 25.
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