(ANSA-AFP) - BELGRADE, JAN 23 - The United States has extended a temporary operating licence for Serbia's sanctioned oil company, the state broadcaster RTS said on Friday, as negotiations continue for the exit of Russian majority stakeholders. Washington's sanctions on the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS), part of its crackdown on Russia's energy sector, have previously forced a months-long shutdown of the country's only oil refinery. Production restarted earlier this month after a temporary reprieve was granted by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which was due to expire at midnight. But according to the state broadcaster, the Serbian Ministry of Finance has now received a letter from OFAC confirming a license extension until February 20. A previous March 24 deadline remains for negotiations over the full exit of Gazprom's interest in the company, with Hungarian energy giant MOL agreeing to basic terms with Russian firm earlier this week. The new reprieve bars transactions involving US entities or the US financial system, RTS reported (ANSA-AFP).