GEORGIA SEEKS ALTERNATIVE GAS SUPPLY FROM IRAN
Officials say that the project is a long-term one and may be launched as early as next year. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili discussed this issue during his visit to Iran in early July. “Iranian gas can serve as an alternative source of gas supply for Georgia only in cases of emergency situations and in the case that Russia reduces or stops the gas supply
[to Georgia]. It can not be a permanent supplier for us, as Iranian gas is more expensive,” Teona Doliashvili, a spokesperson for the Georgian Energy Ministry, told journalists.
There are two potential delivery routes of gas from Iran into Georgia - one via Azerbaijan and another through Armenia.
In Soviet times Georgia received gas from Iran via Azerbaijan; however the Azerbaijani pipeline needs rehabilitation, which, according to the Georgian Energy Ministry, would cost around USD 2 million.
Representatives from SakGazi, the gas distribution company in Georgia, say that the joining of the Georgian gas system to the Iranian-Armenian gas pipeline may prove cheaper.
“These considerations over a gas supply from Iran were launched some three years ago, but discussions yielded no results, mainly because of the lack of finances to rehabilitate the pipe. I think the Armenian option will be cheaper,” Maka Arakhamia, a spokesperson for the SakGazi Company, told correspopndents.
This issue was discussed during the Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili's vist to Armenia last week. Zourabichvili said that Georgia is interested in gas being delivered from Iran.
According to the Georgian Energy Ministry, Iran is also interested in Georgia as a transit country to export its gas to Europe.
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