ARMENIA NOT IMPORTING IRANIAN GAS JUST YET
By M. Alkhazashvili, translated by Diana Dundua
Messenger.ge
Tuesday, September 11, 2007, #172 (1439)
Georgia
Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsesian denied that Armenia was
about to begin importing Iranian natural gas, according to the news
agency Regnum.
The National Iranian Gas Company had previously claimed that Iran would
begin exporting natural gas to Armenia from September 22. Movsesian
stated that while Armenia can receive Iranian gas via the Iran-Armenia
pipeline, it does not need this supply yet.
"I don’t think Armenia will need additional supplies of natural gas
in September," Movsesian said.
The Iran-Armenia pipeline is envisaged as an alternative to the
northern route from Russia via Georgia from which Armenia currently
receives its supply.
While the pipeline officially began operating in December 2006,
improvement work to increase its capacity is still in progress on a
section between Kajaran and Yerevan.
Under the 20-year contract, Iran will exchange one cubic meter of
natural gas for every three kilowatts of electricity from Armenia.
An agreement to build the USD 200 million-project was signed in 1992
but construction did not begin until 2004.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
