Foreign Correspondence

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Pakistan and Iran to expedite gas project

Pakistan is telling Bush to ‘stick it’ on this one even after Bush granted Pakistan non-NATO ally status.
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The United States has been pressing Pakistan against the Iranian gasline.
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-Am

Pakistan and Iran to expedite gas project

January 6, 2004

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran on Wednesday agreed to speed up work on the proposed gas pipeline between the two countries.

The decision was made in a meeting between Amanullah Khan Jadoon, the federal minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, and Bijan Namdar Zangeneh, the Iranian Oil minister.

Both sides agreed to take steps to start the project without further delay as Iran wants a market for its gas and Pakistan needs gas to meet its power shortfall.

The Pakistani side at the talks was also represented by Minister of State Naseer Mengal, Petroleum Secretary Ahmad Waqar and other senior ministry officials.

Zanganeh later called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to discuss the gas project. Aziz said the pipeline could be an important CBM between India and Pakistan. He said Pakistan needs gas from overseas to meet its growing energy needs and is exploring various options.

On his arrival in Islamabad, Zanganeh said Pakistan and Iran are likely to sign an agreement on the proposed gas pipeline when Prime Minister Aziz visits Tehran, probably in January. The Iranian Oil minister will later proceed to New Delhi for talks with Indian officials about the project. Pakistan says it will welcome Indian joining the project, but will go ahead with it even if India refuses to take part.

Meanwhile in Ashgabat, the Turkmenistan president said the recent thaw in relations between Pakistan and India had improved the prospects of a trans-Afghan gas pipeline. “There will be a meeting of the steering committee of the TAP (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan) pipeline in February in Islamabad,” said President Niyazov.

He said TAP remained a priority for Turkmenistan, NCA reported. “The Asian Development Bank is cooperating actively in the project,” Niyazov said. He said Turkmenistan had the capacity to export 75 billion cubic metres of clean natural gas annually at 9C. online/nni

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_6-1-2005_pg1_7