Gazprom To Lower Prices For Exports To Armenia

YEREVAN -- Armenia's natural gas company says that Russia's Gazprom is set to decrease the price it charges for gas, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports.

The price of Russian gas for Armenia rose from $110 to $154 per thousand cubic meters in April and was expected to rise to $200.

But the Moscow daily "Kommersant" reported on October 14 that the price for Armenia will be $180 as of April 2010, due to a decrease in international gas prices.

Gazprom is the main supplier of gas to Armenian households and provides about one-third of Armenia's electricity.

Gazprom spokesman Shushan Sardarian told RFE/RL that "intensive negotiations are under way with the Russian side over reducing that $200 fee," but added that a "tentative agreement" has already been reached.

Gazprom lost its Armenian gas monopoly when Iran built a pipeline to Armenia earlier this year. It is expected to import more gas from Iran in the next year.