There Is No Alternative To Russian Gas In Terms Of Profitability, Di

THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO RUSSIAN GAS IN TERMS OF PROFITABILITY, DIRECTOR OF NORAVANK FOUNDATION SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 25, 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The Iran-Armenia oil pipeline
construction program is important, but there is no concreteness yet
concerning its implementation. Director of Noravank Foundation, lawyer
Sevak Sarukhanian expressed this opinion during the February 25 press
conference. According to him, it is still unclear who will finance
the indicated program and what oil products will be transported by
the pipeline. S. Sarukhanian underlined that today Iran itself needs
refined oil products. As for the issue of receiving gas from Iran,
according to him, in case of establishing normal cooperation with
Turkey, Armenia will become involved in the project of gas export
from Iran to Turkey: the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will be continued
as far as Erzrum.

Speaking about the rise in the gas price, S. Sarukhanian declared
that for Armenia, there is no alternative to Russian gas in terms of
profitability because it is subsidized and its tariff grows gradually.

He underlined that the gas price has sharply risen in other countries:
for example, Turkey now purchases gas for 230 dollars and the price
will grow by the end of 2010.

S. Sarukhanian said that in case of the Armenian-Turkish border’s
opening, a great inflow of Turkish capital should not be expected
because the main infrastructure enterprises of Armenia are already
owned by foreign organizations. He forecast that there might be some
inflow of Turkish capital into the trade sector.