Armenia's Economic Pulse

[jgk3]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

I'd be interested in doing that.

[Federate]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Gulp.
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Georgia cedes its natural gas network to Azerbaijan

by Emil Sanamyan

The Iran-Armenia gas pipeline at Saralanj. Photolure

Washington, - Georgia agreed to hand over the ownership of its natural gas network, which includes the transit gas pipeline from Russia to Armenia, to the Azerbaijani government, news agencies reported.

Under the November 14 deal, announced by Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili the next day, Azerbaijan would satisfy the bulk of Georgia's natural gas needs in 2009-13 at below-market prices.

The deal was finalized during an energy summit in Baku that brought together a number of central and eastern European heads and senior officials of states interested in Caspian energy.

Also at the summit, Kazakhstan agreed to expand its oil shipments via Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline built with U.S. support.
"Property for debt"

Georgia's deal with Azerbaijan is similar to Armenia's deal with Russia, exchanging formal ownership of the gas network - that could potentially serve as political leverage - for a temporary reprieve in prices.

Until this year, like Armenia, Georgia bought most of its natural gas from Russia. Moscow reportedly came close to buying the Georgian gas network, but the offer was declined by Tbilisi on the U.S. government's insistence, which was concerned with integrity of non-Russian gas supplies.

Although the Georgian-Russian border is closed and official relations are suspended, Russia continues to supply Georgia, and by extension Armenia, with natural gas. The biggest gas consumers in Georgia - the Tbilisi electricity network and a chemical plant - are owned by Russian companies.

While Russian-Georgian talks on South Ossetia and Abkhazia resume in Geneva this week, no normalization in relations is anticipated any time soon.

Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington on November 15, President Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia was "ready to build relations with Georgia."

"But not with the current [Saakashvili] regime," Mr. Medvedev said. "That is a red line, which we cannot cross."
Armenia impact

Azerbaijan has now promised to cover more than 60 percent of Georgia's overall gas needs - estimated at 1.8 billion cubic meters of gas a year - at below-market prices. The rest of the supplies to Georgia would still need to come at market prices from Azerbaijan, Russia, or Iran.

Armenia imported more than 2 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia last year. In addition to the now Azerbaijani-owned Georgian transit pipeline, Armenia can now potentially import natural gas from Iran - an important safeguard should new problems arise in supplies via Georgia. The Iran option also becomes more attractive as Russia will begin to raise prices for its supplies starting next year.

Consequences for Armenia of the Georgia deal may become apparent soon. Azerbaijan and Turkey had previously used a promise of lower gas prices to Georgia as leverage against Armenia in the form of Georgian support for the Kars-Akhalkalaki rail bypass and other projects.

The Russian-Georgian war already disrupted air and other traffic between Russia and Armenia. Media reports suggested that Georgia was trying to prevent Russian military cargo, including those resupplying its military base in Gyumri, from reaching Armenia.

Considering the continued importance of Georgia transit to Armenia, it is not surprising that both President Serge Sargsian and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian have visited Georgia since the August war, and Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian is expected to go soon.

http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2008-11-21-georgia-cedes-its-natural-gas-network-to-azerbaijan

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Georgia Sells Gas Network to Azerbaijan

BAKU (Combined Sources)--Georgia has transferred ownership of its natural gas distribution network to Azeri state oil firm Socar, effectively signing over control of a vital transit pipeline from Russia to Armenia, news agencies reported.

The deal, signed on November 14 during a Caspian energy summit of central and eastern European officials in Baku, was revealed the next day by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Under the agreement, Socar will sell gas to Georgia over the next five years at a subsidized cost significantly below regional market prices.

Leaders from the Baltic, Black Sea and Caspian Sea states and senior energy officials from more than twenty countries had gathered together for the Summit to discuss energy security and the diversification of energy supply routes to Europe. The summit's main focus, however, was to reaffirm support for the Nabucco pipeline, which will transport oil and gas resources to Europe by bypassing Russia through Azerbaijan

The move comes as a blow to Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom, which already sells gas to large consumers in the ex-Soviet state and is trying to create a bigger presence in the Caucasus region. Georgia had until now bought most of its natural Gas from Russian gas giant Gazprom.

Moscow, not represented at the weekend summit, was reportedly close to buying the Georgian gas network, but the offer was rejected by Tbilisi. The European Union is hoping to connect the network to its flagship Nabucco gas pipeline and both the EU and U.S. are backing efforts to link Central Asian countries to the network through a trans-Caspian pipeline.

Saakashvili said the contract would provide 80 percent of his country's gas needs, estimated at 1.8 billion cubic meters of gas annually.

http://www.asbarez.com/index.html?showarticle=37332_11/21/2008_1

[SoyElTurco]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

you guys should just emulate singapore.

[Federate]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Prime Minister of NKR: "We must primarily show Shushi to the tourists, visiting Nagorno Karabakh"
24 November 2008 [13:38] - Today.Az

"Shusha plays a serious role in the process of further development of Nagorno Karabakh", said prime minister of self-declared "NKR" Ara Arutyunyan in his interview to the public television of Nagorno Karabakh.

He said "tourism is also our strategic sphere and Shusha is its main center".

"We must primarily show this city to the tourists, visiting Nagorno Karabakh, as Shusha is among our only historical cities, preserved since ancient and having historical values, and we have already started to execute ideas and programs there. Yet the development of Shusha requires development of a deeper and more strategical concept", noted Arutyunyan.

The Prime Minister of "NKR" announced that there is a plan to add Shusha into the list of state establishments.

"Bako Saakyan has already decided to move the Supreme Court of "NKR", Ministry of Culture and Youth issues, State Property Cadastre Committee, Foreign Ministry, affiliate of the Armenian agricultural university, office of Human Rights Activist to Shusha", said Arutyunyan.

The Karabakh Premier announced that the state budget of "NKR" will initiate the construction in several facilities in 2009 and these establishments will gradually be moved to Shusha.

"Repair works have also be launched at multi-storied buildings, as after moving these establishments there, we must ensure growth in population.

For most workers it would be profitable to live in Shusha, and we must put proposals that Shusha has normal reconstructed residential properties, which can serve for the purpose", said "NKR" Premier.

/Novosti-Armenia/

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/49188.html

[Federate]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

For non-French speakers, basically the article is saying that Stepanakert's airport will soon open and will start by operating small planes and helicopters carrying 10 to 18 people. This will stimulate the economy, notably the tourism sector. An Artsakh minister also calls on the construction of a railway between Armenia and Artsakh which would guarantee Artsakh's security.
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L’aéroport de Stepanakert bientôt opérationnel

dimanche14 décembre 2008, par Stéphane/armenews

Le gouvernement du karabagh a donné sonaccord pour une réabilitation de l’aéroport de Stepanakert pour les petits avions.

Le 28 octobre le ministre du Karabagh en charge du Développement Économique Benik Babayan a exposé au cours de la séance du gouvernement ses objectifs. Selon Benik Babayan, une relation aérienne avec le Nagorno-Karabakh stimulera le développement économique de la République et ouvre de nouvelles perspectives pour le tourisme.

L’accueil d’hélicoptères pouvant accueillir 10 à 18 places est aussi projeté. Pour Benik Babayan il est temps d’entreprendre des mesures spécifiques pour construire un chemin de fer, qui sera un moyen complémentaire d’assurer la sécurité du Karabagh.

[Federate]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Tourist Numbers Up 15% in Karabakh
[ 18 December 2008 | 16:59 ] Karabakh |

According to figures published by the RMK Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Consular Section the number of tourists visiting the country in 2008 is up 15% over 2007. Those visiting Karabakh mainly hail from the United States, France, Canada, Russia, Iran and Great Britain. For the first time this year tourists also came from Pakistan, Singapore and Somalia. The RMK Foreign Affairs’ Press Office also states that some 70 reporters representing 25 countries visited the country and scores of film crews arrived in 2008 to photograph various aspects of life in Karabakh.

http://today.hetq.am/en/karabakh/zbosashrjikner/

[Federate]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Here we go again. Are we even gonna use this pipeline like we were supposed to use the other one built with Iran? We should instead be working on creating self-sufficient energy sources.
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Iran, Armenia Plan to Build Gas Pipeline

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran and Armenia will start building an oil pipeline from the Iranian city of Tabriz to the Armenian city of Eraskh in 2009, a senior Iranian official said.

The remarks were made during a meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and visiting Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisian.

From Tabriz oil refinery Armenia will receive benzene and diesel, and for facilitating business activities Armenia will open a consulate in Tabriz. The Ministers also discussed the possibility of building a hydro electro power station on the river Aras.

Earlier Movsisian stated that Iran, Armenia and Russia had planned to construct an oil refinery in the city of Eraskh, however, Russia later withdrew from the project, effectively frustrating it.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8709291025

[Muhaha]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Here we go again. Are we even gonna use this pipeline like we were supposed to use the other one built with Iran? We should instead be working on creating self-sufficient energy sources.

Can someone bring me up to speed on the 'other' oil pipeline and what happened with it?

[Federate]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Can someone bring me up to speed on the 'other' oil pipeline and what happened with it?

To keep it short, it's ready to bring in gas but we're not using it because according to Armenian officials, we don't need the gas since we are already importing enough from Russia.

Then they said stuff like the Iranian pipeline is for emergency cases or something like that

[Muhaha]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

To keep it short, it's ready to bring in gas but we're not using it because according to Armenian officials, we don't need the gas since we are already importing enough from Russia.

Then they said stuff like the Iranian pipeline is for emergency cases or something like that

Oh the Gas pipeline, I knew about that. I thought you were talking about another Oil pipeline. There's nothing Armenia can really do about the Gas pipeline and most likely this one, it's in a sticky situation and has to abide by Russia's authoritarian ways.

EDIT: Btw, where is this city? South or North Armenia?, can't find it online.