ROSNEFT’S DECISION ON PARTICIPATION IN ARMENIA’S NAIRIT TO BE KNOWN AFTER COMPLETION OF AUDIT
YEREVAN, August 3, /ARKA/ Russian Rosneft company President and
Chairman of the Board Igor Sechin had a working meeting today with
Director General of Armenian Nairit Plant Hovhannes Hakhinyan and
Deputy Director General for Reconstruction and Development Karen
Mirzoyan. The meeting was held just before negotiations between
the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the President of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan.
During the meeting, the parties discussed Rosneft’s potential
participation in chloroprene rubber production at Nairit plant. In
August 2013, Jacobs Consultancy Ltd conducted a technical and
environment audit of chloroprene rubber production from butadiene at
Nairit Plant. Rosneft will take a decision whether to take part in
this project once it receives the final audit results and discusses
the conditions to join the project with the Armenian government.
Commenting on the outcome of the meeting, Rosneft President Igor
Sechin said, “We take a favorable view of our cooperation with
Armenian partners. We are now expecting final results of Nairit audit
and outcome of negotiations with the Armenian Government about tax
regime in order to decide whether we should join the project.”
Rosneft also reached an agreement with its partner company Pirelli
for Pirelli’s delegation to visit the Nairit plant to evaluate and
determine possible opportunities for cooperation.
Nairit was the only plant in the Soviet Union to produce chloroprene
rubber. The plant was closed in 1989 for environmental reasons
and resumed operating partially in 1992. In 2001, some production
facilities were separated from the plant for producing chloroprene
rubber and a debt-free enterprise based on them was established. In
2006, 90% of Nairit’s shares were sold to British Rainoville Property
Lim ited for $40 million. The remaining 10% belong to the Armenian
government.
Rhinоville Property Lim ited has been co-founded by the Samex company
(Poland), Intertex (USA) and Evrogaz (Russia). In April 2010 the plant
stopped producing rubber. Before the halt, the plant sold its products
abroad – chloroprene rubber was exported to EU countries, Russia
(about 30% of the exports), the United States and 20 other countries.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
