Armenia not in talks to replace Russian gas with Iranian: officialDecember 24, 2015 - 16:59 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia's Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Areg Galstyan said Thursday, December 24, the government was not negotiating a complete replacement of Russian gas with Iranian one, ARKA reports. The West's decision to lift sanctions from Iran sparked media speculations that Armenia is negotiating the possibility of increasing the supply of gas from Iran as an alternative to delivery of Russian gas that arrives through Georgia. Some narratives argued that Armenia may also be used as a transit country for the shipment of Iranian gas to Europe. Speaking to reporters, Galstyan refused to comment on the rumors, “as there is no such negotiation process.” Recent media reports, however, quoted CEO of Russia’s natural gas producer Gazprom, Alexei Miller as saying that the company was in talks with Iran to offer gas supplies to Armenia under a swap agreement. "Yes, we did discuss this issue; currently we are working on issues of exchange operations with our Iranian colleagues," Miller said at a meeting with Georgian Energy Minister Kakhaber Kaladze. Presently, Gazprom is the main supplier of natural gas to Armenia, with Iranian gas shipped to Armenia under Gas for Electricity program. Top stories Yerevan has dismissed Turkey’s demand to shut down the Armenian nuclear power plant as “inappropriate”. Armenia will loan 2.9 billion drams to Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh), according to a draft government decision. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has “strongly condemned” Armenia’s decision. Kerobyan has said that for the first time in the history of Armenia, the volume of foreign direct investments amounted to about $1 billion. Partner news | Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 11 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. Second round of Armenia-Azerbaijan talks set for May 11 The second round of negotiations between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take place on May 11. About 32,000 rally in Yerevan to deman Pashinyan’s resignation About 31,700 people attended an opposition rally on Thursday, May 9 in Yerevan demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Armenian, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister to meet in Almaty Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov will meet in Almaty. |