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IS RUSSIA CHOOSING BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN?
Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Comments - Monday, 17 February 2014, 17:45
In an interview with the Kommersant, the Iranian ambassador to Russia
Mehdi Sanahi said Iran and Russia have almost agreed selling Iranian
oil to Russia, about half a million barrel a day. Russia has offered
several lines for transportation which are under consideration.
A few days earlier the Iranian ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Reisi
met with Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan. The official press release
states that energy and transit-related issues were discussed.
The two sides have possibly minimized their transit so far. Iranian
gas is supplied to Armenia in return for which Armenian electricity
is supplied to Iran. In terms of transit, only the Armenian highways
are used to travel from Iran to Georgia via Armenia.
Do the Russian proposals involve a pipeline across Armenian for
the Iranian oil? Recently, according to the Iranian mass media, the
Russian ambassador to Iran has stated that the pipeline may run across
Azerbaijan, connecting the Iranian Astara with the Azerbaijani Astara.
Addressing the congress of Yerkrapah Union of Volunteers on Saturday,
Serzh Sargsyan refrained from foreign political issues. He only
announced that joining the Customs union is economically better for
Armenia for which a market of 200 million people opens up. Sargsyan
said we were able to sell 20% of shares of ARG to Russia for 150
million dollars which, in fact, cost cheaper.
What did those 20% bring to us? Serzh Sargsyan asked, noting that if
we want to control something, we need good legislation for that.
The legislation is certainly good. However, we have committed not to
adopt legislation that will be against Gazprom's interests for 30
years. And the deal signed with Russia actually prohibits transit
through Armenia. It is interesting whether there is a similar deal
on oil.
- See more at:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/31936#sthash.4rEhRKQs.dpuf
Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Comments - Monday, 17 February 2014, 17:45
In an interview with the Kommersant, the Iranian ambassador to Russia
Mehdi Sanahi said Iran and Russia have almost agreed selling Iranian
oil to Russia, about half a million barrel a day. Russia has offered
several lines for transportation which are under consideration.
A few days earlier the Iranian ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Reisi
met with Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan. The official press release
states that energy and transit-related issues were discussed.
The two sides have possibly minimized their transit so far. Iranian
gas is supplied to Armenia in return for which Armenian electricity
is supplied to Iran. In terms of transit, only the Armenian highways
are used to travel from Iran to Georgia via Armenia.
Do the Russian proposals involve a pipeline across Armenian for
the Iranian oil? Recently, according to the Iranian mass media, the
Russian ambassador to Iran has stated that the pipeline may run across
Azerbaijan, connecting the Iranian Astara with the Azerbaijani Astara.
Addressing the congress of Yerkrapah Union of Volunteers on Saturday,
Serzh Sargsyan refrained from foreign political issues. He only
announced that joining the Customs union is economically better for
Armenia for which a market of 200 million people opens up. Sargsyan
said we were able to sell 20% of shares of ARG to Russia for 150
million dollars which, in fact, cost cheaper.
What did those 20% bring to us? Serzh Sargsyan asked, noting that if
we want to control something, we need good legislation for that.
The legislation is certainly good. However, we have committed not to
adopt legislation that will be against Gazprom's interests for 30
years. And the deal signed with Russia actually prohibits transit
through Armenia. It is interesting whether there is a similar deal
on oil.
- See more at:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/31936#sthash.4rEhRKQs.dpuf