ARMENIA MAY JOIN TRANS-CASPIAN GAS PIPELINE – MINISTER

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
7 Feb 07

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has said that he sees no
problem for Armenia to join the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline. Speaking
at a question-and-answer session in parliament, broadcast by Armenian
Public TV on 7 February, he said Nagornyy Karabakh should not be a
subject of energy deals.

"The Trans-Caspian gas pipeline will carry Central Asian gas but not
only Azerbaijani gas," Oskanyan said. "Why not? Armenia can use that
possibility too, through bilateral and multilateral accords. Right
now we have the Russian gas pipeline. We will soon have the Iranian
one. We should seek other sources too.

"We have always been against discussing this in view of the Karabakh
issue.

It was the case in the past, and it is the case today, and it will be
the case in the future. Karabakh cannot be a subject of negotiations
on gas or oil. These are different issues."

Azerbaijan and Armenia are in talks to settle the long-standing
dispute over the region of Nagornyy Karabakh.