Armenian minister says all resources to be used in "fight against oil" –
agency

Regnum, Moscow
14 Jul 06

14 July: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has said that
Yerevan can match the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Kars
(Turkey) – Akhalkalaki (Georgia) – Tbilisi – Baku railway with
its internal resources, international resources and the resources
of the diaspora. He was commenting on the official launch of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in the context of isolating Armenia
from regional projects and on the prospects of construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway again bypassing Armenia, or to
be more precise by passing the already existing Kars – Gyumri (Armenia)
– Tbilisi – Baku railway.

"We have carried out serious economic reforms. Our figures and
appearance are different from those of the countries of the region. But
this is the reform of the first generation. We should carry out the
reform of the second generation, in this case our achievements will
multiply.

"Today we are using 1-2 per cent of all the resources of the Armenian
diaspora. There is lack of trust. But new relations and the right
policy will bring about significant positive changes, large investment
and increased confidence.

"We are also conducting noticeable democratic reforms. A presidential
election is approaching. The incumbent president [Robert Kocharyan]
does not have the right to be elected for a third term. But there
are projects started by the president that need to be completed. Our
task is not to think about what political force will come to power,
but to build a policy for 10 years ahead. We
must take our county on a qualitatively new plane, and we have this
possibility. Armenia will become a reliable international partner,"
Vardan Oskanyan said. "In the fight against oil we must use our
resources," he added.

As was already reported, the official inauguration ceremony for the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline took place in Turkey on 13 July.