CONSTRUCTION OF PETROLEUM REFINERY, IRAN-ARMENIA RAILWAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO STRENGTHENING OF ARMENIA’S ENERGY SECURITY
Arka News Agency, Armenia
March 21 2007
YEREVAN, March 21. /ARKA/. The implementation of the program on
constructing a petroleum refinery and the Iran-Armenia railway will
contribute to the strengthening of Armenia’s energy security, said
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian.
"I think that it will be a rather positive development," he said.
Oskanian pointed out that the projects are on the initial stage,
however, they are on the agenda of the Government’s activities.
He said that it will be possible to make detailed comments on the
issue after the research of the projects’ economic advisability.
According to Russian publications, the company "Gasprom oil" has
recently confirmed that it is looking for a possibility to construct
a petroleum refinery in Meghri (the Syunik region in Armenia next to
the border with Iran). The matter concerns a refinery with 7mln tons
of oil per year. The total cost makes USD 1.7bln without accounting
transport infrastructure which will cost another $1bln.
On March 19, during the opening ceremony of the Iran-Armenia gas pipe
line in Meghri, Presidents of Armenia and Iran Robert Kocharyan and
Mahmud Ahmadinejada discussed the possibility of constructing the
Armenia-Iran railway.