Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline talks in final stage, says Iranian minister

06 September 2007

Mumbai: Talks on the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline are in the final stages and technical aspects of the project are being looked into, Iranian deputy oil minister Reza Kasai''i Zadeh said in an interview.

"Technical aspects of the transportation of gas to India and Pakistan are currently under study," he told the Mehr News Agency.

India and Iran are due to discuss the progress on the proposed trilateral gas pipeline project when Iranian deputy foreign minister Mahdi Safari visits India on September 7. Safari will meet external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and petroleum minister Murli Deora during his stay. The two sides will discuss ways to enhance bilateral ties, with particular focus on implementing the proposed projects like IPI gas pipeline.

Safari''s visit will come close on the heels of minister of state for external affairs E Ahamed''s trip to Iran.

Zadeh said Iran and Pakistan were currently negotiating on how to transfer gas and the final talks over the issue were under way with the special deputy of the oil ministry.

At present, the gas pipeline has a capacity of 110 billion cubic metres, of which 50 million cubic metres are for local consumption and around 60 million cubic metres are set for export.