On October 18, the “Haykakan Zhamanak” newspaper published a report by Hayk Gevorgyan, entitled: “They are deceiving us again”. In this article, we read: “The regular session of the inter-parliamentary commission of the Armenian parliament and the Russian Federation Council was held in Yerevan in recent days and a delegation led by the chairman of the commission, Nikolay Ryzhkov, arrived in Yerevan to take part in the session. They brought a document called “Trade and economic relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia”. The fifth page of the document says: “ArmRosgazprom will buy from the Armenian government a 40km sector of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline which is under construction and the incomplete 5th unit of the Razdan power plant… The deal should be implemented by 1 January 2007.”

From what I know about Hayk Gevorgyan, he is a brilliant journalist, who is a little preoccupied with scandals and ‘treachery’ of the Armenian government, still, he can definitely be trusted more then all the Armenian politicians and businessman taken together, especially when the matter is of such strategic importance.

Following the publication in the “Haykakan Jamanak” the member of the Armenian Parliament Victor Dallakyan has declared, that if the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline goes as far as Europe, Armenia will have a real chance of replenishing its budget and enhancing its energy security. Dallakyan claims that according to the “expert surveys” Armenia may receive $250-$300mln annually from the transit of Iranian gas through its territory. He also stated that he has the information on the Armenian Government’s intention to sell the Iran-Armenian gas pipeline to the “Gasprom” OJSC. As we know, Victor Dallakyan is an Armenian politician, and therefore, he cannot be trusted. Nor can “expert surveys” mentioned by him be considered reliable information source. Especially since on October 11, 2006, RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan stated that Armenia and Iran did not discuss this issue. But then again, Mr. Vardan Oskanyan is also an Armenian politician, isn’t he?

On June 30, 2006, “Gazprom” Board Vice-Chairman Alexander Ryazanov stated the company’s intention to purchase the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, which is expected to be completed by 2007. Note: Alexander Ryazanov is a businessman (not an Armenian politician), so he can be trusted!

ArmRosgazprom (the Russian owned monopoly which controls import and distribution of all natural gas to Armenia at the moment, including gas supplies to the thermoelectric power stations in Armenia), Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (which produces 40% of Armenia’s electricity), Armenian Electricity Distribution Grid and a host of other important production capacities and factories are already owned by Russian companies. We have all been observing the Russian definition and implementation of “punishments” for countries like Ukraine and Georgia, the “wannabe independent” states. One doesn’t need to be a genius to conclude, that the TOPMOST priority of the Armenian politics, in line with the Karabakh issue, should be the problem of Energy Security for Armenia, and diversification of energy resources/imports here. No matter how untrustworthy Armenian politicians are, they are Armenians, they “care” to a degree about this country, and understand much better then many of us: bloggers, journalists, villige-politicians, the implications of giving away Armenia’s last hope for independence from Russian energy imports ( their only chance to have a little bit of independence from Russian political interest).

You know what I think? I think that the Armenian government has done, and will keep doing all it can to stop Russia from gaining ultimate control of all Armenia’s energy resources. And I’m sure that they will fail! I think that the Armenian government is not a bunch of traitors, but I can see very well, that the current Armenian authorities have become mere marionettes in the hands of the Russian Interests. And if they have - What Do We, The People, do about it in the upcoming elections of Spring 2007?