VIDEO: Armenia seeks to restore Azerbaijani gas: What are the prospects?

In the video, journalist Kerim Sultanov discusses the recent developments concerning Armenia's interest in receiving gas from Azerbaijan. Despite Armenia's apparent eagerness, their approach suggests that they are doing Azerbaijan a favor by setting conditions for such cooperation.

Armenian officials, such as Babken Tunyan, a deputy from the ruling party, and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, have made conditional statements about the purchase of Azerbaijani gas. Tunyan remarked that the issue "can be discussed if Baku is interested," while Pashinyan proposed that gas from Azerbaijan could be bought if a pipeline transited through Armenia, heading either to Nakhchivan or Turkey.

However, these conditions are surprising given Azerbaijan's lack of interest in such cooperation. During an international forum in April, President Ilham Aliyev mentioned the possibility of Armenia receiving Azerbaijani gas as an illustration of the benefits peace could offer to Armenia, similar to the favorable prices Azerbaijan offers to Georgia. Yet, this was not a formal proposal. Armenia's market is small, and its economic instability makes it an unreliable partner.

Azerbaijan already successfully delivers gas to Turkey via the Southern Gas Corridor, and there is no immediate need for an alternative transit route through Armenia. Additionally, the construction of the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline is progressing, with gas expected to flow to Nakhchivan by this winter, eliminating the need for Armenian transit.

Historically, Armenia relied on Azerbaijani gas. Gas supplies were cut off 33 years ago, and the old Soviet pipeline infrastructure has likely deteriorated. After the Second Karabakh War, in 2021, gas flowed through Azerbaijan to Armenia due to an accident in Georgia. This marked the first time in decades that Armenia received gas via Azerbaijan, although it was Russian gas.

Experts note that Azerbaijan remains Armenia's most logical and advantageous source for gas supplies. Speculative proposals from the European Union to provide Armenia with energy in exchange for renouncing Russian gas are unrealistic. Connecting Armenia to the Southern Gas Corridor is also out of the question.

Despite discussions about reviving Azerbaijani gas imports and turning Armenia into a transit hub, as voiced by Armenian Deputy Minister Hakob Vardanyan at a forum in Tbilisi, such ambitions remain premature. Peace and the resolution of border and communication issues must come first.

Armenia had the opportunity in the 1990s to become a transit country for Azerbaijani hydrocarbons, but the choice it made during that period shaped its current situation. Now, reliable gas supply remains a possibility that peace with Azerbaijan could bring, but it remains to be seen how Armenia will approach these opportunities.

News.Az