168: Armenia leaves its energy security to Azerbaijan and Turkey

Nikol Pashinyan announced months ago from the podium of the National Assembly that the energy systems of Armenia and Azerbaijan will be connected, today they are already talking about this “solidarity” perspective to bring and unite another hostile state, Turkey. Moreover, they say that they are ready to start these works a day before.

In the context that Turkey has adopted a strategy to boost electricity exports in the coming years, including the South Caucasus markets, to become the energy hegemon of the region, what security risks await Armenia in the case of this cooperation prospect in particular?

168․amin response to this question of Armen Manvelyan, an expert on international and energy issues նշեց․

“Fundamentally, Armenia does not need to synchronize its energy systems with Azerbaijan and Turkey. We have done the same work with Iran and Georgia and there is no need for additional similar synchronization, especially when it is not a secret that these countries are hostile towards Armenia. It’s another thing that they may be friendly towards Pashinyan and his regime, but they are enemy countries towards Armenia and the Armenian people.

In fact, the problem is the following: both the West, the European Union, Azerbaijan and Turkey demand the closure of the Nuclear Power Plant, and now, since the closure of the Nuclear Power Plant can lead to a shortage of electricity with serious consequences, the parties have agreed that in return Azerbaijan and Turkey will start providing electricity to Armenia.

In other words, Armenia will become an electricity-importing state, becoming dependent on Turkey and Azerbaijan, and our entire energy security will be based on their favor: we will have electricity, we will not have it.”

Armen Manvelyan noted that Armenia has a surplus of electricity and can export it.

“We have discussed with the Minister of Energy of Turkey the issue of connecting the energy systems of Armenia and Turkey,” TKE Minister Davit Khudatyan stated in a conversation with journalists the other day.

Davit Khudatyan responded to the observation: “Doesn’t he see a risk of security problems?” “The Armenian energy system is connected to the energy systems of Iran and Georgia, we import and export electricity from these countries, and we are going to do the same with Turkey.”

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