ARMENIA AND GEORGIA DID NOT COME TO TERMS OVER ELECTRICITY DEBTS AND RAIL TARIFFS

PanARMENIAN.Net - At the sitting of the Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation Georgia and Armenia did not succeed in coming to terms over the debts for electric power and rail transportation tariffs. Specifically, as reported by Novosti Russian news agency, questions referring to Georgia's debt engagements to Armenia remained unclear. Georgia did not recognize its state debt of $6 million it had to pay within the framework of an agreement between the Ministry of Energy and Fuel of Georgia and Armenergo for the electric power supplied to Georgia in 2000. Tbilisi states it has paid off the debt to the Armenian party, Yerevan assures no transfers were received from Georgia. To clear up the situation the parties agreed to form special working groups, who will study the issue in question in the course of a month. The parties did not manage to close the bargain over reduced tariffs for rail transport either. "A joint commission, will be formed to present economic arguments for rail transport reduced tariffs," Armenian Rail Department head Ararat Khrimian told journalists. It should be reminded that at present Armenia is granted 24% discount for oil products transportation and 17% reduction for the rest of cargo types.