Expert: no decision made during Armenian president’s visit to Moscow

YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. No decision has been made during Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Moscow on August 7 and 8, Karen Bekaryan, head of European Integration organization, told journalists today. 

Sargsyan said yesterday after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that mutual understanding had been reached between the two parties over the price for Russia’s natural gas being exported to Armenia. 

“I think we found mutual understanding on principles of price-making process – the price should be set with taking into account the real market price multiplied or, if you want, divided into the necessity of providing Armenia with natural gas at a price commeasurable with regional prices as well as the necessity to maintain Armenian economy’s effectiveness,” he said yesterday in Moscow. 

Commenting on this statement, Bekaryan said that if it is translated from diplomatic language, it will mean: “Yes, we understand that you sell us natural gas at a low price, but we have problems in transition to international prices. Understanding this, Let us come together and solve this problem! ”

According to some media reports released in early July, the price for Russian natural gas may be raised to $280 per 1,000 cubic meters in early October and to $320 on January 1, 2013 from the present $180. 

MP Vardan Oskanyan, a former foreign minister, posted on his Facebook webpage that natural gas price has already rose by $60, but the authorities suppress the truth. 

Later, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsisyan said that no secret increase of the price is possible and the current negotiations’ results will be made public. 

ArmRosgasprom CJSC, established in 1997, enjoys the sole right for importing and distributing Russian natural gas in Armenia. 

The company’s shareholders are Russian Gazprom OJSC and Armenian government. 

Russia conveys its gas to Armenia through Georgia’s territory. -0-