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WHY GAZPROM SOUGHT FULL CONTROL OF ARMENIAN AFFILIATE'S SHARES - DEBATE
17:30 ~U 24.12.13
The recent Armenian-Russian deal that sawGazprom buy the remaining
20% ofHayrusgazard's shares was aimed at preventing the country from
serving as a transit gas route to Europe, according to an Armenian
expert.
Speaking at a round-table debate entitled, Iran-Armenia Relations
in the Context of New Regional Developments, President of the Modus
Vivendi Center Ara Papyan said the Russian company had concerns over
the prospects opening to Armenia in the light of the warming relations
between Iran and the West.
"Iran has one route to export natural gas to the West, because Turkey
is not desirable at all. That's Armenia-Georgia-Black Sea and beyond,
so it [Iran] would become a rival of Gazprom by exporting gas here,"
he said, noting that the Armenian authorities are not powerful enough
to offer any resistance in the present circumstances.
The expert said he thinks Iran can bring down the natural gas price
by 20% given the very low self-cost of oil.
Papyan added that Iran sought closer ties with the West because of
the Russian threats, which he described as a major problem that has
pushed other key global political developments to the background.
Vardan Voskanyan, an Iranologist also attending the debate, said he
doesn't think the Iran-Russia relations can be treated unilaterally
today without any regard to the pluses and minuses.
As for the Iranian side's statement concerning the oil prices, he
said they are made for countries in the region. "They are directed
to Saudi Arabia and Israel first of all. Particularly, the possible
Iranian-Iraqi alliance testifies to that," he said.
Voskanyan disagreed to Papyan's remark that the United States is now
more powerful compared to Russia. "Regardless of whether or not it is
weak, Russia is an important player. With nuclear weapons at hand,
an advantage of 21 tanks does not matter at all, as there are more
important security [guarantees] than land forces or ordinary armament."
He said the Russian navy's entrance to the Mediterranean Sea amid
the escalating Syrian conflict was a demarche signaling multi-polar
forces' influence on the region. According to him, any result termed as
"almost defeat" can be easily turned into a victory.
Karapet Momtchyan, an Iranian-Armenian security expert who joined the
debate through Skype, addressed Armenia's Eurasian integration efforts.
"We cannot but unite with a strategic ally with whom we maintain
strategic and military relations, even though it is rebuilding an
empire," he said, noting that even countries like Belarus and Ukraine
(which have common borders with the EU) have agreed to join the
Russian-led Customs Union.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/12/24/arapapyan/
17:30 ~U 24.12.13
The recent Armenian-Russian deal that sawGazprom buy the remaining
20% ofHayrusgazard's shares was aimed at preventing the country from
serving as a transit gas route to Europe, according to an Armenian
expert.
Speaking at a round-table debate entitled, Iran-Armenia Relations
in the Context of New Regional Developments, President of the Modus
Vivendi Center Ara Papyan said the Russian company had concerns over
the prospects opening to Armenia in the light of the warming relations
between Iran and the West.
"Iran has one route to export natural gas to the West, because Turkey
is not desirable at all. That's Armenia-Georgia-Black Sea and beyond,
so it [Iran] would become a rival of Gazprom by exporting gas here,"
he said, noting that the Armenian authorities are not powerful enough
to offer any resistance in the present circumstances.
The expert said he thinks Iran can bring down the natural gas price
by 20% given the very low self-cost of oil.
Papyan added that Iran sought closer ties with the West because of
the Russian threats, which he described as a major problem that has
pushed other key global political developments to the background.
Vardan Voskanyan, an Iranologist also attending the debate, said he
doesn't think the Iran-Russia relations can be treated unilaterally
today without any regard to the pluses and minuses.
As for the Iranian side's statement concerning the oil prices, he
said they are made for countries in the region. "They are directed
to Saudi Arabia and Israel first of all. Particularly, the possible
Iranian-Iraqi alliance testifies to that," he said.
Voskanyan disagreed to Papyan's remark that the United States is now
more powerful compared to Russia. "Regardless of whether or not it is
weak, Russia is an important player. With nuclear weapons at hand,
an advantage of 21 tanks does not matter at all, as there are more
important security [guarantees] than land forces or ordinary armament."
He said the Russian navy's entrance to the Mediterranean Sea amid
the escalating Syrian conflict was a demarche signaling multi-polar
forces' influence on the region. According to him, any result termed as
"almost defeat" can be easily turned into a victory.
Karapet Momtchyan, an Iranian-Armenian security expert who joined the
debate through Skype, addressed Armenia's Eurasian integration efforts.
"We cannot but unite with a strategic ally with whom we maintain
strategic and military relations, even though it is rebuilding an
empire," he said, noting that even countries like Belarus and Ukraine
(which have common borders with the EU) have agreed to join the
Russian-led Customs Union.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/12/24/arapapyan/