Yerevan has not yet received proposals from Gazprom to acquire Iran-Armenia pipeline

Regnum, Russia
July 10 2006

The Armenian side has not received any proposals from Gazprom
concerning acquiescence of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline,
which construction is now underway, spokeswoman for the Armenian
Energy Ministry Lusine Arutyunyan is quoted as saying by a REGNUM
correspondent. According to her, the ministry received no proposals
and has no talks concerning sale of the pipeline. Commenting on a
recent statement of Gazprom Deputy CEO Alexander Ryazanov, who said
the company was intending to buy the pipeline, spokeswoman for the
Armenian energy ministry noted, "it was probably an intention by the
company itself."

It is worth reminding, late June Gazprom deputy CEO announced that
the company intended to buy the Iran-Armenia pipeline. According to
him, putting the pipeline into operation would let secure stable gas
supplies in Armenia. "There are problems with gas transit to Armenia
via Georgia, as Georgia presumes unsanctioned pumping out of gas,"
Ryazanov said.

The Iran-Armenia pipeline is supposed to be put into operation in
the end of this year. The pipeline that connects Iran and Armenia
has a diameter of 700 mm, and its estimated capacity is 1.2 bln cubic
meter of gas per year. The project of constructing the Iran-Armenia
pipeline 141 km long has estimated cost of $120 million.