IPI gas pipeline talks to be held in Tehran soon

TEHRAN (September 24 2007): Iran, Pakistan and India will launch a new round of talks here on the building of a huge pipeline project to carry Iran's natural gas to India via Pakistan.

Negotiations on the completion of IPI gas pipeline project dubbed 'Peace Pipeline' will be held in Tehran soon, said Hojjatollah Ghanimifard, a special envoy at Iran's oil ministry.

He said Iranian and Pakistani experts would exchange views on the contract from September 24 to 26 and the two sides' officials would discuss the issue on September 27. He added negotiations would continue, if necessary, on September 28.

Pakistan Embassy Commercial Counsellor Dr Jadoon told APP that secretary petroleum Farooq Qayyum and adviser to Prime Minister on energy affairs Mukhtar Ahmed will represent Pakistan at the official level talks scheduled to open on Thursday September 27.

He said the subject of price review and other remaining issues would be discussed.

Iran, meanwhile, on Saturday, expressed impatience with India over the finalising of the multi billion-dollar gas pipeline deal via Pakistan, warning that it could go ahead with Pakistan alone if India procrastinated.

Caretaker oil Minister Gholam Hussein Nozari said New Delhi and Islamabad were still in discussion over the payment of transit fees by India to Pakistan for Iranian gas from the 'peace pipeline'.

He said Pakistani officials were certain to come to Iran next week for talks to finalise the project but the attendance of Indian representatives was still unconfirmed. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has recently said that IPI gas pipeline project is at an advanced stage of negotiations.

'We are confident that this project will be launched in the near future. Similarly, we are exploring the possibilities of a pipeline from Turkmenistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan, which could be extended onward to India.'

'Pakistan is firm to follow the IPI project', said Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam during her weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Monday adding even without India Pakistan will do it with Iran.