Pakistan and Iran started two-day talks on the proposed gas pipeline here on Wednesday. Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Amanullah Khan Jadoon and Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh led their delegations during the talks.
Welcoming the Iranian delegation, Jadoon said that Pakistan and Iran enjoy deep and cordial brotherly relations, which were growing and flourishing with the passage of time in diversified fields for mutual advantage. He said that the proposed gas pipeline project would prove another milestone in the historic relations between the two countries.
Reciprocating his sentiments, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said that Iran attaches great importance to its brotherly relations with Pakistan. He said that bilateral co-operation between both the countries in multidimensional fields was strengthening and growing with the passage of time. Bijan hoped that talks would provide an opportunity for both the countries to deliberate upon different aspects of the proposed gas pipeline project for furthering of the project.
Later, the meeting reviewed the progress made by the working groups of both the sides on the gas pipeline and expressed their satisfaction on its pace.
The Pakistani side informed the meeting that during the Indian petroleum and natural gas minister''s visit to Pakistan last month, both the countries had agreed to constitute a working group at the secretaries'' level to consider the modus operandi of the project.
The Iranian minister informed about his meeting with the Indian counterpart in Tehran and discussion held on the project. The meeting agreed to hold trilateral meeting of the ministers of Iran, Pakistan and India to gear up the proposed pipeline project. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed on Thursday.
Minister of State for Petroleum Mir Muhammad Naseer Mengal, Petroleum Secretary Ahmed Waqar and senior officials of the ministry assisted Jadoon during the meeting, while Deputy Minister for International Affairs Dr M.H. Nejhad Hoseinian and members of the delegation assisted the Iranian minister. Meanwhile, Iran''s oil minister said he believed Pakistan and India would not buckle to outside pressure over a proposed gas pipeline from Iran, through Pakistan to India, which the United States opposes.
Doubts were cast over the planned $4 billion pipeline after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on a recent trip to Asia, expressed concern over the project. The concern stems from US opposition to Iran''s nuclear programme.
"I don''t believe that Pakistan and India will consider any external pressure on themselves," Bijan Zanganeh told reporters here.
"I hope, if we resolve the political problems between Pakistan and India, Inshallah (God willing), everything is ready for executing this project," Zanganeh said.
In his talks in Pakistan, Zanganeh said he would discuss a range of issues, including the timing and volume of the pipeline. "We hope in this meeting we can reach an agreement and a general conclusion of this project," he said.
Zanganeh said that Opec should wait to see the response of the market to recent production increases before deciding on any new rise.
"In this situation, before anything, we should wait for the response of the market after the new increase that we had from the first of July," Zanganeh said.
"Thereafter the evaluation of these issues we can discuss and we can decide about any new increase or other reaction from the Opec," he said.-PR
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