SERGE SARGSIAN HAS NO CONCERN ABOUT TRANSFER OF BIG ARMENIAN ENTERPRISES TO RUSSIAN COMPANIES

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 6 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian government will give
consent for the deal on selling 90% of ArmenTel shares owned by the
Greek company OTE to the Russian company Vympelcom. The RA Defence
Minister Serge Sargsian expressed this opinion during a talk with
reporters on November 6. At the same time he refuted the assumptions
about his relation to the deal.

Responding to NT correspondent’s question, S. Sargsian said that he
has no concern in connection with the transfer of Armenia’s biggest
strategical facilities to Russia. "I do not consider it dangerous,
because I have not yet seen the Russian side use its economic
leverage in Armenia. Can you give an example when the Russian capital
in Armenia has been used to subject us to political pressure?,"
the minister noted. In response to the question about the use of
economic leverage by Russia to put pressure on Georgia, he replied:
"Should I be concerned about Georgia as well?"

According to the minister, no American or European company has
expressed an intention to make investment in the 5th power unit of
Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant or a gas operation enterprise. Reminding
that two Russian companies and an Arab one had participated in the
final stage of the tender for sale of ArmenTel shares, S. Sargsian
noted: "But would it have been more beneficial for Armenia, if the
Arab comapny had acquired ArmenTel?"