New Delhi
8 November 2007
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh discussed the Iran-Pakistan-India
gas pipeline project with visiting Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Pour Mohammadi but
he did not make any express commitment to pursue the matter any more vigorously than
he has so far. He only told the Iranian minister that certain technical issues like transit
fee first need to be resolved with Pakistan.
"It (pipeline) was raised. I was told that technical problems have to be resolved. I hope
transit tariff of Pakistan to India is resolved as soon as possible," Mr Pour Mohammadi
on Thursday said about his talks with Prime Minister Singh.
India's perceived indifference stands in marked contrast to Pakistan's attemps to strike a
deal with Iran. A Pakistani delegation led by Petroleum Secretary Farrakh Qayyum is
currently in Iran for signing an accord on gas pricing formula.
"Today our deal will be finalised in Tehran," Mr Pour Mohammadi said about the
likelihood of Pakistan sealing a gas deal with Iran. "I hope India and Pakistan also [do
the same] as soon as possible for operationalising the project," he said, adding that
piped Iranian gas could reach the Indian border as early as 2013 if New Delhi resolves
the issue of transit fee with Islamabad.
Mr Pour Mohammadi described the proposed India-United States civil nuclear
cooperation agreement as an "internal issue of India". However, he hastened to add:
"We would like to see India maintain independence of foreign policy like before and [her
ties with] regional countries are not affected by outside elements."
He said that India and Iran enjoyed "good historical relations" and he hoped that India
will meet her energy needs from "friendly countries" like Iran. He also hoped that an LNG
(liquefied natural gas) deal would be finalised with India at the earliest.
Discounting any adverse impact of the economic sanctions on the Iran-Pakistan-India
gas pipeline project, Mr Pour Mohammadi said that all the three countries have the
technology for producing, refining and transporting piped gas. "I don't see any problem
with production of gas [or construction of] pressure stations," he said.
On the possibility of more sanctions on Iran, Mr Pour Mohammadi said that Iran has
received messages from many countries and leaders disapproving of the unilateralism
of the US and he heard similar sentiments during his stay in India. "India stressed that it
did not agree to unilateralism," he said about his talks with Prime Minister Singh and
Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee.
He felt that there is ample scope for bilateral cooperation in security matters. "India and
Iran are two major powers. They have high capabilities and we should utilise them," he
said, adding that he intended to raise this issue in his talks with Minister of Home Affairs
Shivraj Patil.
Islamabad and Tehran are reported to have reached an understanding to review the gas
pricing formula if there is any change in the co-relation between Japan LNG and Japan
crude oil mix but the first review will not take place before 2015. Iranian oil minister's
special representative Hojjatollah Ghanimifard has been quoted in Iranian media as
saying that the gas pipeline contract between Iran and Pakistan will be ready for
finalisation on Friday. He said that India was invited but she did not participate in the
meeting. New Delhi has also not responded to Pakistan Petroleum Secretary Qayyum's
invitation to his Indian counterpart MS Srinivasan for a comprehensive bilateral talks
between November 12 to 14.
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