According to Armenian presidential spokesperson Viktor Soghomonian, Mr Saakashvili's "private" trip was "only for skiing". The Georgian president stayed in the ski resort town of Tsaghkadzor, about 55km from Yerevan, where he met with Armenian President Robert Kocharian. Later, the Georgian and Armenian foreign ministers, Gela Bezhuashvili and Vardan Oskanian, joined the discussions. Neither Georgian nor Armenian officials issued a statement on the nature of the talks. Even so, Armenian political analysts and opposition members reject the notion that the trip was for relaxation only. Rather, they link Mr Saakashvili's visit – at least indirectly – to the opening of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. "True, the presidential office did not explain why Saakashvili came to Armenia. However, it is clear that there was a serious topic for discussion, and the most urgent of such topics in the region is the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline," said parliamentarian Shavarsh Kocharian, head of the National Democratic Party. "If the two countries' leaders met, it is impossible that such a serious issue as the gas pipeline should not have been touched upon." The 140-km long pipeline is projected to supply Armenia with up to 1.1bn cum/yr of gas until 2019, when the supply target is expected to rise to 2.3bn cum/yr. Economist Eduard Aghajanov notes that Georgia's desire to reduce its dependence on Russia for gas supplies could have prompted Mr Saakashvili to explore import possibilities with Armenian officials, as he has done already with the leadership of Armenia's neighbour, Azerbaijan. The $235/1,000cum gas price that Georgia pays to Gazprom is the highest rate among members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. "If there is a possibility to receive gas from a third source, then a reasonable politician would not miss that opportunity by any means, not to remain hanging on Russian gas," Mr Aghajanov said. Georgia currently receives around 2.3m cum/d from Azerbaijan, including 1m cum/d from the recently-opened Shah-Deniz gas pipeline, Energy Minister Nika Gilauri confirmed in March. Russia supplies roughly 3.3m cum/d, whether via purchases from Gazprom or as transit fees for the export of Russian gas to Armenia via Georgia. Some doubt persists in Tbilisi about whether tapping-into the Iran-Armenia pipeline would reduce the country's energy dependency on Russia. In June 2006, Gazprom signalled its clear intention to acquire Armenia's stake in the pipeline, and posted a press release on its website stating that it had already made the purchase. Armenian authorities neither denied nor confirmed report of the sale, saying that such discussions were premature. Beyond geopolitical considerations, technical obstacles appear to diminish the chances that the Iran-Armenia pipeline could immediately benefit Georgia. The pipeline's current capacity stands at about 300-400m cum/d. Its 30-in diameter – half its planned original size – is not seen as sufficient for exporting gas to Georgia or other markets. "No doubt, the Georgian government knows that at the present moment Armenia has no possibility of exporting Iranian gas," commented independent political analyst Sevak Sarukhanian. But that capacity could change, he added. "If Armenia cannot perform the function of a transit country at the moment exporting Iranian gas to Georgia, then in the future it is quite possible. And Georgia would like to use that opportunity in every possible way." The concept of Georgia importing Iranian gas via the Iran-Armenia pipeline is not new. Former foreign minister Salome Zourabichvili raised the issue during an official visit to Yerevan in 2004, and; talks on the topic have also reportedly been held between Georgian and Armenian government officials, including the late Prime Minister Andranik Markarian. Georgian officials have previously said that Georgia will not need to import Iranian gas if supplies from the Baku-based Shah-Deniz pipeline, which crosses into Turkey via Georgia, remain adequate. However, Iran provided emergency supplies during Georgia's January 2006 gas crisis, during which the United States was not overjoyed at having its closest Caucasus ally, Georgia, forge any kind of enduring energy relationship with Iran.