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RUSSIAN TAKEOVER OF ARMENIA PIPELINE 'IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT IRAN'S CONSENT'
By Anna Saghabalian
Radio Liberty. Czech Rep.
June 13 2006
A senior Iranian diplomat indicated on Tuesday that the Armenian
government will need to secure Tehran's consent if it indeed decides
to grant Russia control over an under-construction pipeline running
from Iran.
Russia's state-run natural gas monopoly, Gazprom, was reported earlier
this year to have secured ownership of the pipeline as part of a
controversial settlement of its recent gas dispute with Yerevan.
The information was initially confirmed by Gazprom but subsequently
refuted by the Russian giant and senior Armenian officials.
Still, Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian, who is closely involved
in Russian-Armenian economic dealings, was more ambiguous on that
score as he spoke with journalists in April. "Let's leave that for
the next time as there are interesting things here as well," he said
in response to a question about a possible Russian takeover of the
Armenian-Iranian pipeline.
"There are no changes yet in the project," Iran's deputy ambassador
to Armenia, Ali Akbar Jokar, insisted on Tuesday. "Changes may only
happen with the consent of all parties [to the project.]"
Asked whether his government would object to the possible change of
pipeline ownership, Jokar said, "Since there is nothing concrete,
such a prediction can not be made at this point."
Work on the first 40 kilometer section of the pipeline, financed by a
$34 million Iranian loan, got underway late last year and is scheduled
to be complete by next January. Armenian and Iranian officials say
the construction is proceeding according to plan.
The pipeline is supposed to ease Armenia's strong energy dependence on
Russia, presently its sole supplier of gas. Critics of the Armenian
government say its ownership by Gazprom would call into question
this objective.
The implementation of this and other Armenian-Iranian energy projects
would be seriously endangered by possible U.S. military action against
Iran over its ruling regime's controversial nuclear program.
Hence, Armenian leaders' repeated calls for a peaceful settlement of
the dispute.
Jokar indicated that Tehran is satisfied with Yerevan's position on
the issue. "Our friend Armenia wants a peaceful solution to the issue,"
he told reporters.
By Anna Saghabalian
Radio Liberty. Czech Rep.
June 13 2006
A senior Iranian diplomat indicated on Tuesday that the Armenian
government will need to secure Tehran's consent if it indeed decides
to grant Russia control over an under-construction pipeline running
from Iran.
Russia's state-run natural gas monopoly, Gazprom, was reported earlier
this year to have secured ownership of the pipeline as part of a
controversial settlement of its recent gas dispute with Yerevan.
The information was initially confirmed by Gazprom but subsequently
refuted by the Russian giant and senior Armenian officials.
Still, Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian, who is closely involved
in Russian-Armenian economic dealings, was more ambiguous on that
score as he spoke with journalists in April. "Let's leave that for
the next time as there are interesting things here as well," he said
in response to a question about a possible Russian takeover of the
Armenian-Iranian pipeline.
"There are no changes yet in the project," Iran's deputy ambassador
to Armenia, Ali Akbar Jokar, insisted on Tuesday. "Changes may only
happen with the consent of all parties [to the project.]"
Asked whether his government would object to the possible change of
pipeline ownership, Jokar said, "Since there is nothing concrete,
such a prediction can not be made at this point."
Work on the first 40 kilometer section of the pipeline, financed by a
$34 million Iranian loan, got underway late last year and is scheduled
to be complete by next January. Armenian and Iranian officials say
the construction is proceeding according to plan.
The pipeline is supposed to ease Armenia's strong energy dependence on
Russia, presently its sole supplier of gas. Critics of the Armenian
government say its ownership by Gazprom would call into question
this objective.
The implementation of this and other Armenian-Iranian energy projects
would be seriously endangered by possible U.S. military action against
Iran over its ruling regime's controversial nuclear program.
Hence, Armenian leaders' repeated calls for a peaceful settlement of
the dispute.
Jokar indicated that Tehran is satisfied with Yerevan's position on
the issue. "Our friend Armenia wants a peaceful solution to the issue,"
he told reporters.