Armenia negotiating with Russia for reduction of natural gas tariff
starting April 1 2010

2009-10-16 15:23:00

ArmInfo. Armenia is negotiating with Russia for reduction of the
natural gas tariff from the present $200 per 1,000 cu meters to $180
starting April 1 2010, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of
Armenia told media on Friday.

He said the contract with Gazprom on the gas tariff for $200 per 1,000
cu meters was signed last year. "Armenia hopes for certain reduction
of the tariff though Russia is not ready yet to exceed the frameworks
of the agreements reached." The minister refuted the reports by
Russian media that Russia will allegedly reduce the tariff in exchange
of the exclusive construction of the new nuclear power plant in the
country. A. Movsisyan said no such negotiations have been made with
Russia and the idea of monopoly construction of the NPP contradicts
the policy of the Armenian Government. "We hope to use the best
international experience but no country is able to build an up-to-date
NPP independently. We know that good reactors are produced in Russia,
good automatic equipment is in the West and good turbines are in
Europe. Therefore, we are goring to use the best experience of all
countries. An international consortium involving all the countries
interested will probably be set up," the minister said.