Moscow, Yerevan discuss draft scheme of gas supplies — government official
Russia and Armenia plan to coordinate the general scheme of Armenia’s gas supply and gasification, to be in force until 2030, First Deputy Chief of the Russian Government Staff Sergei Prikhodko said ahead of Russian premier’s visit to Armenia, TASS reports.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will visit Armenia on April 30 to take part in a session of the EAEU Intergovernmental Council.
"Our countries pay close attention to cooperation in the gas sector. Both current and future issues are being discussed. For example, we have an agreement to coordinate a draft general scheme of gas supplies and gasification to Armenia, to be valid until 2030," he said.
Prikhodko added that Russia remained Armenia’s biggest natural gas supplier, fully covering its demand for natural gas. Russia delivers about 2 billion cubic meters of gas to the country every year at prices which are relatively low compared to average prices worldwide.
The bilateral treaty on gas supplies expired on December 31, 2018. At present, Russian gas deliveries to Armenia are carried out in line with an additional deal, signed by Gazprom Export and Gazprom Armenia. It will be valid through 2019.
"Following the 19 th session of a bilateral intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, the sides committed to holding the necessary internal consultations to determine the procedure and revive the December 2, 2013 intergovernmental agreement on natural gas pricing," the senior Russian government official said.
When asked whether the existing differences in gas prices for various EAEU members will be raised during the April 30 meeting in Yerevan, Prikhodko replied that the matter will be solved once the states complete their work to create the common market of electricity, oil and gas.
The Eurasian Intergovernmental Council regularly considers those matters, gradually creating the required legal basis for the move, he added.