IRAN, ARMENIA TO FINALIZE ARAS DAM CONTRACT BY MARCH 2007

Mehr News Agency, Iran
Sept 30 2006

TEHRAN, Sept. 30 (MNA) – Energy Minister Parviz Fattah said on Saturday
Iran would finalize a contract with Armenia to construct a dam in
Aras by the end of the current Iranian year, falling on March 20, 2007.

Speaking at the sideline of a meeting with Armenian Energy Minister
in Yerevan, Fattah said that studies conducted on construction of
a dam over Aras River has finished. Iran and Armenian have reached
the agreement to jointly build the dam, and they will finalize the
contract by March 2007, he reiterated.

The minister further said that construction operations of the dam
are to be launched in 2007. "The joint construction of Aras Dam
will have great impact on the development of bilateral political and
economic ties."

He also stated that Iran’s gas conveyance pipe to Armenia will come
on stream by March 2007.