Communications with Iran provide exit for Armenia to outside world

PanARMENIAN.Net - "Any communications that connect Armenia with Iran, let it be a gas pipeline, railway or oil pipeline, are an exit for Armenia to the outside world, head of "Hay Dat" International Office Giro Manoyan stated to a press conference in Yerevan. He said, with this gas pipeline Armenia's energy independence will be ensured. "Iran-Armenia gas pipeline is a counterbalance to all those projects, which bypass Armenia bringing her to isolation: Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Kars-Baku railway. Having such dangerous neighbors as Turkey and Azerbaijan we must think about our own security and exit to the outside world," Manoyan underscored.



The construction of the 141-km gas pipeline was launched in November 2004. Initially Armenia will receive 1.5 million cubic meters of Iranian gas per day. The second stage supposes construction of the pipeline from Kajaran to Ararat (150 km). The project totals $200-250 million. The gas pipeline is built by Iran, Armenia and Russia represented by GazProm and RAO UES of Russia. In the course of the coming 20 years Iran will supply Armenia with 36 billion cu m of gas. The 'blue fuel' will be processed into energy for further export to Iran.