Iran, Pakistan vow to launch gas pipeline Shortly
By Raza Mumtaz - PakistanTimes.net Foreign Editor

LONDON (UK): Pakistan and Iran have vowed to launch the gas pipeline project soon during a meeting of the joint working group.

The two countries discussed various aspects of the project and also agreed on three points to set guidelines for an energy charter to implement the project. Iran will provide the GSPA text by the end of December.

The joint working group also discussed financial, commercial, technical and legal aspects of the project, and the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Pakistan.

Tripartite Meeting

Pakistan, India and Iran will hold a tripartite meeting next year in Iran, with the next meeting of the Iran-Pakistan Joint Working Group in January, 2006, in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Indian Petroleum Secretary SC Tripathi said the tripartite framework agreement on the proposed gas pipeline may not materialise till the yearend.

The delay is partially due to Pakistan seeking postponement of the third round of secretary level talks with India, which was scheduled in New Delhi from November 21 to 23. Islamabad wants the talks during the second week of December because a Pakistani team is going to Iran for talks.

The devastation caused by the October-8 earthquake is also believed to be one of the reasons for the postponement of talks. In addition, while India has appointed the financial and technical consultants for the project and hopes to finalise the legal consultants soon, Pakistan is still to appoint their consultants.

Tripathi said, "We were hoping that the meeting with Pakistani officials would take place in November but they have asked for more time. They want the meeting to be shifted to December when we were hoping to meet with the Iranians."●