Deputy Minister: The Armenian side has not led negotiations to anyone on transit of Iranian gas to Europe through Armenian territory

ArmInfo. No one today can give a decisive answer on the question of possibility of constructing gas pipeline from Iran to Europe, Deputy Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of Armenia Areg Galstyan told journalists today commenting on the readiness of Slovakian "EU-ASIA Business Finance Centre" holding to implement this project.

According to the Deputy Minister implementation of this project is related not only to economic but also political factors. "It's hard for me to answer the question about the project's feasibility", the Deputy Minister noted not excluding such a potential possibility. However, it is unclear who will be involved in the program, who will make proposals. "But the most important question is who will be the seller of gas and who will be the buyer", Areg Galstyan stressed recalling that not only Armenia but also Georgia should become transit country of Iranian gas. The Deputy Minister pointed at the difficulties during implementation of Russian "South Stream" project on constructing a gas pipeline under the Black Sea to Europe bypassing Ukraine. "How many times has the situation changed? The sides were either agreeing to build the pipeline or were refusing from the project", Areg Galstyan noted, recalling that the Armenian side has not held any negotiations on this issue.

On October 7 Chairman of EU-ASIA Business Finance Center Holding Ashot Grigoryan stated that the company is ready to ensure transit of Iranian gas through Armenia to Europe. According to him this is a rather ambitious project, on which an agreement has been reached with investors and discussions are being held on its implementation. At the same time he noted that one of mandatory conditions is pipeline installation via Armenia's territory. "Gas pipelining to Europe is a complex task we are holding negotiations with a number of countries at the moment, including Bulgaria, Russia, Iran as well as Armenia and Georgia who will be involved in the project", Grigoryan said. At the same time he refrained from calling the cost of the project implementation noting that no evaluations have been made yet, adding that in any case the holding will make the investments.