MIDDLE EAST: Iran, India and Pakistan serious about gas pipeline


Iran, Pakistan and India are striving to sign an agreement to export natural gas from Iran to the two states.

The final date set by three sides for achieving a result on the so-called 'Peace' pipeline agreement is July 30 and all the sides will make their best efforts to prevent any delay.
Oil Minister Seyed Kazem Vaziri Hamaneh evaluated the views of all sides of the 'Peace' pipeline agreement as positive. He added US sanctions did not have any effect on the trend of the agreement describing such 'pressures' as 'nonsense'.

He clarified that as there is interest among the three sides to reach an agreement, the plan was going ahead for final signing. Although India and Pakistan, the former in particular, are under US pressures to suspend talks, the states are seriously pursuing talks and trying their best to achieve a mutual understanding on the cost of gas transfer from Iran. It seems that the two states will make their best efforts to reach common ground on the cost of gas transfer, despite differences.

Pakistan President Parviz Musharraf has stressed repeatedly that the gas pipeline would be constructed at any cost and Islamabad would not tolerate any pressure against the project.

On the other side, Indian state minister on oil and natural gas recently called the project technically executable and clarified that the three states would sign a general agreement by the end of June to construct the gas pipeline to transfer Iranian gas to India via Pakistan. According to the agreements, the new round of expert talks will be held in Tehran next Tuesday and Wednesday on the details of the agreement.

After the end of expert talks, officials of the three states including Pakistan deputy minister of oil and natural resources and advisor of Pakistan prime minister, India's deputy minister of oil and natural gas and special representative of Iran's oil minister on the 'Peace Pipeline' will continue talks.

It seems that for finalizing the agreement on peace pipeline, to achieve the accepted results until the June 30, next week talks are of particular importance.


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