"GAS IS NOT A CORNERSTONE OF OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP"

A visit of RA Prime Minister, Andranik Margaryan, to Russia starts today. Tomorrow, he will hold negotiations with his Russian counterpart Mikhail Fradkov. On Saturday, together with the first Vice Premier, Dmitry Medvedev, A. Margaryan will solemnly close the Year of Armenia in Russia in Saint Petersburg. Before the visit, Mr. Margaryan answered the questions of Ú correspondent, Vladimir Soloviov.

- How do you appreciate the present level of Armenian-Russian relations?

- The Armenian-Russian relations are built in a spirit of strategic partnership and allied relations, based on mutual respect of sovereignty, equality and adherence to mutual interests. The year 2005 was announced a Year of Russia in Armenia and the year 2006 - a year of Armenia in Russia. We have succeeded to create an atmosphere, necessary for the further development of political dialogue, military-technical, trade-economic, scientific-technical and humanitarian cooperation. Programs in energy, transport, banking, metallurgy and chemistry are being implemented. Direct relations between the regions of Armenia and Russia are also under development.

- How did the Russian-Georgian confrontation affect the Moscow-Yerevan relations?

- In fact, rather complicated issues exist today in the Russian-Georgian relations, however, the resources of the settlement of Moscow-Tbilisi relations are far from being exhausted. One should not leave aside and forget the potential of the relations of Russian and Georgian peoples accumulated for centuries as well as their good traditions and commonness. We are interested in the sooner resolution of the problems in the Russian-Georgian relations as the cooperation of Russia and Georgia is one of the most important components of stability in our region. Without this stability, one can hardly imagine any mutually advantageous regional economic projects.

- How did the gas issue influenced the strategic partnership of Russia and Armenia? If Yerevan agrees with the rise of the Russian gas tariff?

- The term "strategic partnership," which is used to define the two countries' relations, is an evidence of the high level of relations in all the spheres. The strategic partnership of Armenia and Russia is based on close cooperation of our countries in the political, military, trade-economic, scientific-technical, humanitarian spheres, as well as on the common vision of the global developments, the high level of coordination in the international arena, respect of national interests. I'd not like to emphasize the gas sphere as a corner stone of our strategic partnership.

Gas is only one of the spheres of our energy cooperation. We effectively cooperate in the sphere of atomic energy, thermal and hydro power engineering etc. Russia has its grounds to rise the gas tariff, which are connected with many factors. At the same time, our strategic partnership must be insured against the current political and economic conditions and proceed from the logic of long-term interaction.

- If the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will be transferred under management of Gazprom and how soon it may happen?

- The construction of the pipeline has not been completed so far and it is untimely speaking of its transfer to any operator, including to Gazprom. Armenia and Iran have been successfully cooperating in the energy sphere for a long time already and Iran-Armenia gas pipeline is one of the key bilateral energy projects. It is at the stage of construction. A 39.5 km part of the pipeline Meghri-Kajaran will open soon.

- Whether a tender on concession of the Armenian railway will be announced? How real is their transfer to the Russian Railways RSC?

- Armenia has a strong transit potential, in a railway communication, in particular, despite the transport blockade. Armenian railways need large investments and structural reforms today. Hence, the Armenian Government has resolved on priority measures for the railway reformation, one of which is preparation for the tender and pass of the Armenian railways into concession. The "Russian Railways" and other companies are enabled to participate in the tender and there will be no special preferences for one or another company.

- Azerbaijan and Georgia are swiftly deepening the cooperation with NATO. Whether Armenia intends to follow the example of its neighbors?

- Armenia qualifies the relations with NATO as an important component of the European integration policy. The development of Armenia's cooperation with NATO ensues from the interests of ensuring security in the region, and Armenia will go on implementing programs with this organization. We try to raise the relations with the alliance to a qualitatively new level. Armenia always speaks in favor of developing the regional cooperation under the Partnership for Peace Program and supports all steps of NATO in this direction. Since 2004, the Individual Partnership Program, that includes all the possible spheres of cooperation of our country with the alliance and is an efficient mechanism of further cooperation development, has been playing the key role in Armenia-NATO relations. At the same time, Armenia is a CSTO member and builds the system of its national security within the framework of this organization.

- This year, Georgia has become the first of all the CIS countries to near the entry to NATO, having turned to an intensive dialogue with the alliance. What's the attitude of Armenia to the prospects of NATO appearance in the Caucasus?

- First of all, I would like to remind that Armenia, as a USSR member-republic first, and an independent state since 1991, borders upon Turkey which has been a member of NATO since 50s of XX century. The entry into an international structure is the sovereign right of each country. Armenia understands Georgia's desire to join NATO. One shouldn't admit the appearance of new dividing lines in this complicated region which has a lot of unsettled conflicts. Our position proceeds from this principle.

- What's Armenia's opinion about the situation around Iran? What consequences may the crisis over Iran have on country's economy?

-Armenia recognizes Iran's right to develop its nuclear power engineering for peaceful purposes and believes that the Iranian problem must be solved through a dialogue. Crisis over Iran may have negative consequences for regional security and stability. The last 15 years Armenian-Iranian cooperation has been steadily developing. "We are building our relations on the basis of constructive dialogue and mutual confidence. Our priorities are trade and economy. We are developing mutually beneficial cooperation in industry, energy, trade and transport. The biggest Armenian-Iranian projects are Iran-Armenia gas pipeline and water power plant on the Arax river. And there are many similar examples. Transport is a key element of Armenian-Iranian relations: now that Turkey and Azerbaijan continue their blockade of Armenia, Iran is an alternative way out for the country. "The potential of economic cooperation is our main achievement and we should preserve and develop it. The sooner the problem of Iran is solved the sooner the region will live in peace and stability.