Russia to sell Armenia gas at 110 dollars – minister

Russia to sell Armenia gas at 110 dollars – minister

Arminfo
31 Mar 06

Yerevan, 31 March: Russia will sell gas to Armenia at 110 dollars
per 1,000 cu. m. from 1 April 2006, Armenian Minister of Finance and
Economy, Vardan Khachatryan, told journalists today.

He said that the [Armenian] consumers of the Russian gas would l pay
the old price until 10 April. He went on to say that according to a
decision by the public services coordinating commission, domestic
gas prices would be increased from 10 April. The government might
compensate for the price rise from the budget, Khachatryan said,
adding that there were some options for giving compensation which
would not be a burden for the budget.

Khachatryan refused to comment on Aykakan Zhamanak newspaper’s report
that Russia would take over the fifth block of the Razdan power plant
and shares in the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline in exchange for a freeze
on the gas price in the next 30 months.

[Passage omitted: reported details]

[In a separate report at 1327 gmt on 1 April 06, Arminfo quoted
businessmen Mikael Bagdasarov as saying that Russia would supply gas
to Armenia for 68 dollars per 1,000 cu. m. He said the price still
might change, but would not exceed 70 dollars per 1,000 cu. m.]