ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
September 23, 2005 Friday
Armenia holds no talks on gas transit to Ukraine-energy minister
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Armenia is conducting no negotiations on the transit of Iranian gas
to Ukraine or to Europe, Energy Minister Armen Movsesian has told a
news conference.
“It is up to Iran and Ukraine to discuss such matters. As long as
there have been no negotiations on that score, discussing the
participation of other countries in such projects will make no
sense,” he said.
The gas pipeline from Iran will go operational 4-5 months earlier
than expected, by the autumn of 2006, Movsesian said. Armenia plans
to increase the pipeline’s throughput between Kadjaran-Yerevan. The
Iran-Armenia pipeline began to be laid on November 30, 2004. Under
the contract it is expected to go be commissioned by January 1, 2007.
Over a period of 20 years Iran will supply to Armenia 36 billion
cubic meters of natural gas in exchange for electricity.
Movsesian said Iran will invest 150 million dollars in the
construction of the fifth unit of the Razdan thermoelectric power
plant. When upgraded, this power unit will increase the power plant’s
capacity to 450 megawatts. The facility’s economic parameters will
then match all international standards.