Armenia’s economy minister, Gevorg Papoyan, confirmed to Armenian News-NEWS.am the information circulated by Azerbaijani media that the first batch of Azerbaijani gasoline is already on its way to Armenia.

According to the minister, 20 railcars transporting Azerbaijani fuel will arrive in Armenia in the coming days.

“Our task has been to bring businesses to a field where they conduct trade instead of warring. War brings casualties, losses, while trade—prosperity,” Papoyan said.

When asked whether there is a clear agreement with Baku that this delivery of Azerbaijani fuel will be continuous, the Armenian economy minister responded positively: “Of course there is an agreement, but the rest depends on future market conditions.”

But Papoyan did not specify when, in what amount, or within what timeframe further Azerbaijani fuel deliveries to Armenia will take place. “There are various issues related to transport, delivery, and other matters; businesses will coordinate with each other,” he noted.

When asked at what price the Armenian private company purchased the fuel from the Azerbaijani side, Papoyan did not specify, saying that this is a private matter in which they do not intervene.

“It is not correct for us to interfere in pricing matters. The role of the state here is to create the environment. When we import gasoline from Egypt, Romania, or Russia, what do we do? The same [thing]: we create the necessary legal and contractual field, a political environment is established, political agreements are reached; the rest is already done by business,” the Armenian economy minister said.

When asked at what price Azerbaijani gasoline will be sold in the Armenian market, Papoyan replied: “It is difficult to say now. In the case of the first delivery, costs are not standard; it seems like it won't be standard next time either. Once a more or less stable, visible market situation is formed, we will be able to say clearly. After importing for the first time, some [Armenian] companies may sell at a lower price, some at a higher price, but it is the subsequent rebalancing that make adjustments to participants’ behavior. In the private sector, the price is determined based on competition. Our tasks are to ensure as many participants as possible in the market and from different sources; this will increase competition and, consequently, reduction in prices as much as possible.”

Papoyan, however, did not disclose which specific private company purchased the batch of Azerbaijani gasoline. “Please send a request; if we can answer, we will,” he said.

The government of Georgia did not charge for the transit of the first batch of Azerbaijani oil products, which was reported a few days ago. And when asked whether there is an agreement with the Georgian side regarding the conditions under which Azerbaijani fuel will be transited to Armenia via Georgia in the future, Papoyan did not specify.