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Businesses have the opportunity to transit liquefied gas via Azerbaijan to Armenia by rail, Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan said.
He emphasized that the opportunity has been created, and whether or not to use it is up to the businesses.
“We have opened the possibility of transporting liquefied gas through Azerbaijani territory. Whether businesses take advantage of it or not… Under other equal conditions, rail transport is cheaper. However, some people have already made significant investments in this sector, for example, buying trucks. In that case, it is economically more convenient for them to use trucks. But for companies that need to lease a truck, rail transport may be more suitable. There are also instances when the Lars checkpoint is closed. So, there is an alternative,” the minister said.
Papoyan noted that the possibility of transporting liquefied gas through Azerbaijani territory also creates competition. Even companies that could previously dictate prices will no longer be able to, because there is an alternative via rail.
Responding to a question about whether any shipments of liquefied gas through Azerbaijani territory had taken place since his announcement on the transport agreement, Papoyan said: “It’s a process. Even if it started immediately, I’m not sure it would have been able to arrive here right away.”