YEREVAN. – The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia, Yervand Zakharyan, stated that Iran does not offer Armenia cheaper natural gas than Russia, according to Zhamanak daily.

“Armenia cannot decline from Russian gas, at least unless it gets to be unendurable.

“Georgia and Russia are negotiating around gas supply, within the framework of which they are touching upon also on the matter of [the ongoing Russian] gas supply [via Georgia] to Armenia.

“According to Georgian officials, the Russian Gazprom [company, which supplies this gas to Armenia,] posits the condition that Georgia shall now receive not gas but money, in exchange for the gas transit to Armenia.

“In this case, once it actually gets to be unendurable, Armenia will have to negotiate with Iran, willingly or unwillingly.

“The price of gas is one matter, whereas the mechanisms for its acquisition are completely another [matter].

“Armenia is just suggesting to Russia to pay [a] higher [price], in the form of reducing the price of gas, in exchange for taking the sovereignty of Armenia,” Zhamanak wrote.