BUILDING ARMENIAN SECTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE TO START IN LATE NOVEMBER

PanARMENIAN.Net - Chief of the Department of Technical Development and Foreign Relations of the Armenian Ministry of Energy Levon Vardanian told journalists about it November 17.

The building of the 42-kilometer segment of the pipeline, 700mm in diameter, will start in the territory of Armenia with the Meghri-Kajaran part. In his words, in compliance with the agreements made, the Iranian party will fund the construction works, while the pipeline remaining part, leading to Yerevan and Ararat, will be built later.

It should be reminded that in compliance with the agreement on the building of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, signed by Armenia and Iran in Yerevan May 13, 2004, 1.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas will annually be supplied to Armenia from Iran within 20 years. Armenia will pay off for the gas with electric power. The construction works (41 km in the territory of Armenia and 100 km through the territory of Iran) is planned to be completed at the turn of 2006. The estimated investments of the Armenian party will make some $90 million, while the Iranian side will spend about $120 million.

The gas pipeline will stretch from Teheran to Yerevan via Meghri lot of the Armenian-Iranian border. It will also provide for transit supplies of Turkmen gas to Armenia through Iran.

It should be reminded that originally it was also spoken that the pipeline can become a basis for further transit of Iranian gas to Europe. However, the project was not implemented, as it is considered, due to the resistance of the Russian party.