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Vardan Khachatryan Still Does Not Know A Lot

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  • Vardan Khachatryan Still Does Not Know A Lot

    VARDAN KHACHATRYAN STILL DOES NOT KNOW A LOT

    Lragir.am
    01 April 06

    Since April 1 the Russian gas will cross the border of Armenia at
    110 dollars per 1000 cubic meters. It is not an April Fools joke,
    it is not a joke at all, especially when new details are becoming
    known day by day. Particularly, different sources inform or "forecast"
    that Armenia will transfer the fifth generating unit of the Thermal
    Power Plant of Hrazdan and its share of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
    to Russia. Vardan Khachatryan was the first government official that
    news reporters could ask for elucidation. He gave a press conference on
    March 31 to tell about his American visit. However, Vardan Khachatryan
    used the American visit to not tell anything definite.

    The minister announced that he was not aware of the details of
    the Russian-Armenian talks on the price of gas and hopes to get
    information from relevant bodies on the process of the talks and the
    agreement. Such a relevant body is Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan,
    for instance, who personally announced that Armenia has no more
    property to transfer to Russia to repay the debt. But the vague
    and avoiding answer of Vardan Khachatryan apparently confirms the
    rumors and refutes the words of the prime minister. The minister of
    finance and economy did not say yes, but he did not say no either
    to the transfer of the fifth generating unit and the shares of the
    Iran-Armenia gas pipeline.

    "There is no absolutely good and absolutely bad. It depends on the
    problems that must be solved, on the way how to solve them," says
    Vardan Khachatryan, adding that Armenia wants to keep the fifth
    generating unit of the Thermal Power Plant and the gas pipeline
    operating. Vardan Khachatryan even said that Armenia evaluated the
    fifth generating unit rather high, and there is information that it
    was evaluated 250 million dollars. Vardan Khachatryan says it is a
    very good price for a half-built generating unit.

    Generally, the words and behavior of Armenian officials allow thinking
    that Armenia cannot have an operating thermal power station and Iranian
    gas unless these are controlled by Russia. Whereas, the program of
    property for debt shows the opposite thing, that if Armenia wants to
    have something that operates, Armenia should not transfer it to Russia.

    But thus the problem of gas, which threatens to become a far more
    burning issue than the problem of bread, is not settled, for it is
    two-fold: the border and beyond the border. The terms might cause
    confusion, however we should also think for our compatriots living
    outside Armenia, for them to understand what is going on in their
    native land. And in the native land the government does favor to
    people on the money of people. Since April 10 people will have to pay
    90 drams per one cubic meter of gas, and industries will pay twice
    as much. It was the decision of a governmental body, headed by the
    former mayor of Yerevan Robert Nazaryan.

    "If the government does not accept these tariffs, it can decide
    to cover part of these tariffs. I hope it will do," says Vardan
    Khachatryan. To put it mildly, the minister of finance should despise
    this phrase, for it is illogical when a commission "lets down" both the
    citizen and the government. The minister of finance is not a minister
    of social security, he has to fear for every cent of the government,
    and should at least announce that it is absurd when the government
    covers the costs of some private company, be it Armrusgasard or
    Whateverprom. In the meantime, Vardan Khachatryan is hopeful that it
    will be so. Moreover, for a long time.

    "The estimation was done with consideration of several factors. It is
    not going to give a surprise to the government. As far as I know, it is
    a three-year program," says the minister, who has just returned from
    the United States, and announces that he does not know much yet. He
    does not know either what Armenia and Russia are negotiating for if
    the 110 dollars for the Russian gas at the border is already fixed.

    In the meantime, this secrecy is rather doubtful. From whom are the
    governments of Armenia and Russia hiding the details of the talks
    and the options discussed? It is even difficult to understand why
    the negotiations for Karabakh are secret, let alone the talks for the
    price of gas. Secrecy would be justified if the negotiating officials
    discussed with Russians the option of paying for the gas from their
    own pockets, but obviously the Armenian state is concerned, and it
    means that all of us are going to pay, but one or two, or maximum
    three will decide how much we are going to pay. Even if the government
    members paid from their pockets, one will wonder where the ministers
    got so much money that cannot be found in the budget of Armenia.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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