PAKISTAN: IPI gas line has no link to political situation in region: Indian official

Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon Tuesday night rejected any link between the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project and the political situation in the region, particularly the Iran nuclear issue.

"We don't see the project (IPI) having any link with the general and political situation in the region," Menon, who is leading the Indian side at the 4th round of the Pak-India Composite Dialogue, told reporters here at a local hotel.

He added, however, that the IPI project, which has been discussed in the last few years, was still not at the final stage.

"We still have to do a lot of detailing of the project, that is, its structure, cost and pricing. These details still need to be worked out."

The Indian foreign secretary said there were some technical and feasibility matters on which the governments had to take decisions. He said the project, which is in the interest of all stakeholders, was being examined.

On the Iran nuclear issue, the Indian foreign secretary said: "We would like to see a peacefully negotiated solution to the problem which satisfies the international community as well as Iran." Regarding Tuesday's meeting, Shivshankar Menon said he and Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan held a first round of talks and that the talks would be continued Wednesday morning.

The Indian foreign secretary, who also called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri, did not take questions on the contents of Tuesday's discussions, but said the two sides had agreed that they "will brief the media (jointly) after Wednesday's talks."

Islamic Republic News Agency