Georgia interested in Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
By Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
March 11, 2005 Friday

YEREVAN, March 11 — Georgia is interested in the construction of a gas
pipeline from Iran to Armenia and discusses possible gas transit from
Iran to Ukraine via Armenia and Georgia, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab
Nogaideli told his Armenian counterpart Andranik Markaryan on Friday.

Nogaideli came to Yerevan in the evening on a two-day working visit.

Nogaideli and Markaryan noted a high level of mutual confidence and
cooperation, a source in the Armenian governmental press service
told Itar-Tass.

Strengthening of the Armenian-Georgian relations becomes topical in
the light of integration with European organizations, especially after
the involvement of the South Caucasian states into the EU Neighborhood
Policy, the prime ministers said.

Closer bilateral cooperation in regional and international
organizations meets the interests of Armenia and Georgia, they said.

Bilateral economic cooperation has intensified, and trade grew 50%
last year, they said.

Georgia has built the Sadakhlo-Marneuli motor road to Armenia and
provided for the road security under an agreement between the two
presidents, Nogaideli said.

The Armenian premier welcomed the Russian-Georgian intergovernmental
agreement to open a railroad ferry line between the Georgian port of
Poti and Russia’s Caucasus port on the Krasnodar territory.

Meanwhile, ArmRosGazprom General Director Karen Karapetyan said in
Yerevan on Friday that ArmRosGazprom joint venture between Russia
and Armenia has won a tender for the construction of the Armenian
segment of a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia.

ArmRosGazprom transports and distributes natural gas in Armenia. The
Armenian government and Russia’s Gazprom gas giant have 45% interest
in the joint venture each, while ITERA international company has 10%.

The pipeline, whose construction will start in late March – early
April, will supply gas only to Armenia. It will not have capacities
for gas transit. Iran will supply natural gas in exchange for Armenia’s
electricity.

“If Iran and Ukraine agree to lay a transit gas pipeline across
Armenia, we will certainly take part in the project,” Karapetyan said.

“Armenia will have exclusive positions in the regional energy system
if it has an alternative gas pipeline from Iran, an underground gas
storage facility and excess of electricity,” he said.