GAS PIPELINE IS A PROBLEM FOR RUSSIA
A1+
[06:34 pm] 30 October, 2006
RA President Robert Kocharyan has arrived in Moscow on official
duty. Today he will meet RF President Vladimir Putin.
According to Russian Mass Media, during the meeting alongside with
other issues the Presidents will discuss cooperation in gas supply
field.
They will particularly refer to the gas pipeline Iran-Armenia which
will be exploited in December.
"First the gas pipeline was supposed to supply Armenia with as
much gas as the population of the country needs, that is to say,
1.1 billion cubic meters per year. But now Yerevan and Tehran speak
about doubling that number. It is obvious that they are interested
in transporting Iranian gas to Europe. This can’t be favorable for
Moscow", news.ru reports.
The control over this gas pipeline is important for Russia, especially
from the point of view of the relations with Georgia. The economy of
Armenia already suffers losses because of the tension in the relations
of Russia and Georgia.
Now Moscow can stop the gas supply of Georgia without harming their
"strategic ally", as the Iranian gas pipeline will be exploited in
less than two months.
Like the other CIS countries, Armenia buys Russian gas for 110 USD
for 1000 cubic meters. But Russia compensated for the different in
price supplying Armenia with weaponry, news.ru reports.