Armenia is ready to cooperate with Turkey in energy sector but the process is hampered by “political obstacles”, said Areg Galstyan, the Armenian Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

“As soon as these obstacles are removed, mutually beneficial cooperation meeting both countries’ interests will be ensured,” he said.

Earlier RA Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan said that Armenia initially agreed to export 1.5bn kwh of electric energy. However, the modernization of the Yerevan and Hrazdan thermal power plants increased this potential.

“Turkey has political problems, which are an obstacle to energy export. We, as well as our partners, hope that political obstacles will be removed and energy supply will become reality,” Movsisyan said. He also noted that Turkey is technically ready for importing electric energy.

As NEWS.am reported earlier, agreement on Armenian energy supplies to Turkey was reached during Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s visit to Yerevan at the invitation of RA President Serzh Sargsyan. On September 4, 2008, the RA Ministry of Energy, High-Voltage Network Company and the Belgian UNIT Company – the importer and distributor of electric energy in Turkey - signed a relevant agreement. The energy price was U.S. $57 for 1MW.