The Hindu Business Line : No differences with India, Iran on pipeline project: Pak

A high-level delegation of Pakistan led by Mr Ahmad Waqar (second from right), Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, calling on Mr Mani Shakar Aiyar, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, prior to a meeting of Indo-Pak Joint Working Group on Pipeline Projects in the Capital on Tuesday. — Ramesh Sharma

New Delhi , July 12

THE over $4 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project seems to be inching towards reality. Pakistan today reconfirmed its commitment to the project, stating that it had no differences with India and Iran over pipeline.

It assured that both Islamabad and New Delhi would work jointly towards faster execution of the project.

"There are no differences between India, Pakistan and Iran regarding the implementation of the project," Mr Ahmed Waqar, Secretary for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Pakistan, said here after meeting with the Petroleum Minister, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar.

The Pakistani Petroleum Secretary is leading a delegation for the first Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting that was set up during Mr Aiyar's visit to Pakistan last month. The Pakistani team will hold discussions with the Indian delegation, led by the Petroleum Secretary, Mr S.C. Tripathi, on various aspects of the pipeline project.

The JWG will look at options of financing the project in the backdrop of the US sanctions against Iran. The two-day discussions beginning today will also cover critical issues such as gas prices, terms of supply and commercial arrangements as well as the role of each country in the pipeline project. Security issues are expected to be one of the key elements in the talks.

When asked whether there was US pressure on Pakistan, Mr Ahmed said Pakistan would work with India in the larger interest of the country. "The pipeline is in the larger interest of the Pakistanis," he said.

The project is expected to be completed by 2009-10 and would allow the daily flow of 150 million cubic meters of gas. Pakistan would take about a third of the fuel and India the rest.

Mr Waqar said the talks are intended to achieve a framework for the project and also a timetable.

He also said that Pakistan and Iran had last week signed a MoU, which at some stage would be converted into a trilateral agreement involving all three - Pakistan, Iran and India.

The JWG would discuss the transit fee payable to Pakistan besides the legal framework required for the project, technical parameters, security cover and steps to be taken for safe delivery of gas.

Indications are that the two sides may also talk of the indicative gas price through the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan pipeline and its possible extension to India.

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