ARMENIAN FM SAYS SHOULD SEEK ALTERNATIVE GAS SUPPLIERS
RIA Novosti, Russia
June 28 2006
TBILISI (Georgia), June 28 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s foreign minister
said Wednesday that the South Caucasus country should seek to diversify
its natural gas suppliers, following Georgia’s example.
In January, Russia doubled the price for natural gas supplies to the
former Soviet republic from $54 per 1,000 cubic meters to $110 as part
of its efforts to put the gas market on a free-market basis. But the
move has put some strain on relations with Armenia, whose struggling
economy is heavily dependent on Russian supplies.
"Like Georgia, Armenia should diversify its gas sources," said Vardan
Oskanyan, who is in Georgia on a two-day visit. "We are currently
discussing with our Iranian colleagues issues concerning Iranian gas
supplies to Armenia."
Georgia now imports natural gas from Iran via Azerbaijan. Supplies
began in January after explosions on a pipeline from Russia, previously
Georgia’s sole supplier.
Oskanyan said that the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline would be commissioned
by January 2007 and added that a mooted trans-Caspian gas pipeline
to pump gas from energy-rich Central Asia to Turkey and Europe via
Azerbaijan and Georgia, was also of interest for his country.
The construction of the 141-kilometer (90 mile) pipeline from Iran
began in 2004. It will bring Armenia about 36 billion cubic meters
of gas over 20 years. The natural gas will be used for electricity
generation for Armenia’s domestic needs and for export to Iran.