ARMENIA WANTS RUSSIA TO COMPENSATE HIGHER GAS PRICES
by Tigran Liloyan
ITAR-TASS News Agency
April 4, 2006 Tuesday 08:19 AM EST
Armenia insists on compensation, on the part of Russia, of the higher
price of natural gas. Gazprom has been supplying natural gas at 110
dollars per 1,000 cubic meters from April, up from 56 dollars in 2005.
Parliament speaker Artur Bagdasaryan believes that the negotiations
over prices should “proceed from the logic of Armenian-Russian
strategic partnership.”
“Any decision aimed at mitigating the consequences of gas price hikes
for Armenia is acceptable if it ensues from Armenia’s strategic
interests.” This also applies to the working out of compensation
mechanisms, Bagdasaryan told a news conference.
As an example, the speaker recalled the “excellent transaction” –
property in exchange for debt, when Armenia handed over five companies
to Russia to settle its liability.
“These transactions arise from Armenia’s interests, it won’t be bad if
a similar mechanism is worked out with respect to gas prices,” he said.