ARMENIA SIGNS AGREEMENTS WITH SYRIA.

Armenian Prime Minister Grant Bagratyan signed an agreement with Syria on joint development of energy resources at the end of a three-day visit to Damascus and another with Lebanon immediately thereafter, the Armenian news service reported May 2. While no details were given, the agreement represents the latest effort by Yerevan to improve its access to oil and gas. Since the beginning of this year, pipelines carrying oil and gas into Armenia have been blown up at least four times, and Uzbekistan has shut off the flow of gas from Turkmenistan because Armenia has failed to pay it transit fees. Armenia has looked to Syria for two reasons: that country has a large Armenian diaspora, and Armenia’s current president was born there.

OSCE Observer Killed in Tbilisi.