RUSSIA CAN DEPRIVE ARMENIA OF ITS ENERGY INDEPENDENCE, ECONOMIST EDUARD AGHAJANOV STATES

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia has sold 27% of its
45% holding of ArmRusgasprom company to Russia, as a result of
which Gasprom company (Russia) has become the owner of 82% of
ArmRusgasprom. Independent economist Eduard Aghajanov said during
the April 12 press conference that he was informed about it from the
Russian press and Gasprom’s website. According to him, Russia has
also bought the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, which means that Russia
is likely to form a rigid integrated structure in this sector and
completely deprive Armenia of its energy independence or security. In
the opinion of E. Aghajanov, after all this it is funny to speak
about Armenia’s energy independence, since the country, in his words,
has received status of a Russian region and has been transformed from
an outpost into an appendage. He noted that Russia is conducting a
colonial policy with respect to Armenia. According to E. Aghajanov,
it is a nonsense to give everything to one state, since there is
another player in the energy sector of the region – Iran.