IPI gas pipeline: China readies to replace India

Tehran: Pakistani media sources claim that Iran's foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, has said that China is keen to join the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project as a replacement for India. Work on the project on Iranian territory is due to start soon.

Mottaki was apparently speaking to a Pakistani media delegation, which is currently on a visit to Tehran. The IPI gas pipeline draws its initials from the three nations –Iran, Pakistan and India. Should India withdraw from the project and China step into its place, the new nomenclature would likely be changed to the 'Peace pipeline.'

Mottaki, reports said, blamed the US for sabotaging the pipeline. He was quoted as saying that India's growing relations with the United States ought not to affect its relations with other countries of the region.

He asked Islamabad not to come under US pressure with respect to its participation in the project.

"We must not allow any third country to interfere in the bilateral relations of Iran and

Pakistan," The News quoted Mottaki, as saying.

After initial enthusiasm India has shown deep reservations about participation in the 2,775 km trilateral pipeline project, originating from Iran's South Pars gas field, balking at the prospect of agreeing to a project that shows no clear resolutions on issues related to pipeline security, heavy transit fees and gas pricing.

After initial speedy progress, when the project was floated in1995, matters stalled as the region became increasingly embroiled in geo-political games. For quite some time now India has adopted a non-committal stance towards the project but now, after 14 long years, the time may at last have come for all three partners to come clean about their respective positions.