ARMENIA BACKS IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE EXTENSION TO EUROPE
RIA Novosti
13:39 | 24/ 12/ 2007
YEREVAN, December 24 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia is not ruling out
extending the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline to Europe, the Armenian energy
minister said on Monday.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in October that plans to
extend the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline to Europe were very promising.
"If Iran and Europe reach an agreement on gas supplies and consider
it possible to export gas via Armenia by the shortest and the most
effective method, we’ll naturally implement this project after
assessing its environmental and economic aspects," Armen Movsisyan
said.
Movsisyan said that if Armenia made such a decision, "no one will
prevent us from carrying this project through as it is advantageous
for the country and its economy.
The Armenian Energy Ministry earlier forecast commissioning of the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline by early 2009.
The first 40 km (24 miles) leg of the pipeline went on stream in March,
and the second 141 km (87 miles) leg is currently being built.
The pipeline’s cost has been estimated at between $220 million and $250
million. During the first stage, Armenia will pump some 400 million
cubic meters of gas annually with plans to increase the volume to
2.3 billion cubic meters.