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Levitin: Armenia negotiating with Gazprom to sign long-term contract on natural gas imports from Russia
YEREVAN, October 15. /ARKA/. Armenia is negotiating with Russia’s Gazprom to seal a contract for importing energy resources from Russia, Igor Levitin, the Russian president’s advisor who long years led the Armenian-Russian intergovernmental commission, told journalists on Saturday.
“I would like to say that this cooperation first of all should be long-term,” he said. “The idea of these negotiations is a long-term contract on supplying energy carriers.”
Levitin said that the new contract is being prepared now.
Earlier, Robert Nazaryan, chairman of the Armenian Public Services Regulatory Commission, said that prices for natural gas will be revised in Armenia.
President Serzh Sargsyan, who was in Russia on August 7 and 8, said after meeting there with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that the two countries had reached mutual understanding on Russia’s natural gas imported in Armenia.
The president said that it is necessary to take into account the real market price divided or multiplied by the necessity of providing Armenia with natural gas at prices which are in tune with regional prices with maintaining Armenian economy’s effectiveness.
According to media reports which emerged in early July, prices for Russia’s natural gas might increase on October 1.
It meant that 1,000 cubic meters were expected to cost $280 on border instead of the present $180, and starting from January 1, $320.
ArmRosgasprom CJSC, established in 1997, enjoys the sole right for importing and distributing Russian natural gas in Armenia. Russia’s Gazprom OJSC holds more than 80% of the company’s shares, and the remaining shares belong to Armenian government. Russia conveys its gas to Armenia through Georgia’s territory. -0-
17:50 15.10.2012
