ARMENIAN, IRANIAN MINISTERS SIGN COOPERATION ACCORDS, DISCUSS ENERGY PROJECTS
Public Television of Armenia
Dec 16 2008
Armenian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsisyan has
wrapped up his visit to Iran. As part of the visit, Armenian and
Iranian officials signed numerous cooperation accords on energy and
other sectors. Iran will allocate 75m euros for the construction of
a high-voltage power line in Armenia. The following is text of report
by state-owned Armenian Public TV on 16 December
[Presenter] Armenia will continue to implement large-scale projects
with Iran. The Armenia-Iran gas pipeline will be tested soon. Iran will
allocate 75m euros for the construction of a third high-voltage power
line. A terminal will be constructed in Yeraskh [town in Armenia’s
Ararat Region close to the border with Iran], where Iranian fuel will
be stored. This is only one point of the 71-point memorandum signed
with our southern neighbour. Energy and Natural Resources Minister
Armen Movsisyan has returned from Iran in a good mood and promising
projects. Mher Arshakyan reports details from Tehran.
[Correspondent over video of meeting between Armenian and Iranian
delegations] Armenia and Iran are friendly countries, the Iranian
foreign minister and chairman of the Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental
commission, Manuchehr Mottaki, said yesterday [16 December]. Before
meeting journalists Mottaki and Armenian co-chair of the commission,
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsisyan signed a 71-point
memorandum on cooperation, which covers the energy system, oil, trade,
banking system, agriculture, healthcare, education and other issues.
[Mottaki speaking at a news conference in Persian with overlaid
Armenian translation] Relations between the two countries are in
important stage and we are happy about this.
[Correspondent over video of news conference] Movsisyan assesses the
two-day work as satisfactory. He believes that the Armenian side’s
achievements are tangible. In particular, the construction of the
third high-voltage power line will start in Armenia next year, and
this will require 75m euros.
[Movsisyan speaking to microphone] Loan resources, which were provided
by the Iranian government, will be used for this line’s construction.
[Correspondent over archive footage] The testing of the Armenia-Iran
gas pipeline will be accomplished in two or three weeks and the
arrangements for the provision of electric power in exchange for gas
will be carried out by means of two high-voltage power lines. Movsisyan
added that a terminal would be constructed in Yeraskh and Iranian
fuel would be stored there.
[Movsisyan speaking to microphone] The terminal envisages a pipeline,
which will stretch from [Iran’s] Tabriz to Yeraskh. Refined oil and
oil products – petrol and diesel fuel- will be pumped to Armenia’s
Yeraskh from the Tabriz oil refinery via the pipeline.
[Correspondent speaking over video of news conference] The construction
of the terminal is also planned for the next year. Mottaki attached
importance to the railway, which is under construction in East
Azerbaijan [Province of Iran]. According to the preliminary plan, it
will enter Armenia from the section of Culfa [town in the Azerbaijani
exclave of Naxcivan].
[Mottaki speaking at news conference in Persian with overlaid Armenian
translation] If we succeed in constructing the railway, this will be
one of our best work.
[Correspondent] The Iranian foreign minister spoke about the global
financial crisis and said that already many countries had incurred
losses. Mottaki believes that Iran-Armenia economic cooperation
has the capacity to withstand the crisis, but this will require
serious efforts from both sides. Movsisyan said that the financial
scheme of constructing a hydroelectric power plant on the River Aras
will be prepared in a month or six weeks. According to preliminary
estimations, its construction will require 240m dollars. A tender
will be announced for its construction and a contractor to carry out
the construction. Mher Arshakyan, Tehran, "Haylur".