IPI gas pipeline project can become IPC: Pak

Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 4:10 am under World News

The Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project could become the Iran-Pakistan-China project in view of New Delhi’s delay in joining the venture, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Saturday (October 18).

India would be welcome to join the project whenever it chooses to do so but Pakistan could not delay the venture any further due to its growing energy requirements, Qureshi told a news briefing here after President Asif Ali Zardari’s just-concluded visit to China.

“The IPI project can become the IPC (Iran-Pakistan- China) project or even if it is the IP (Iran-Pakistan) project, China can invest in it,” he said, adding the pipeline could feed energy-deficient areas in China bordering Pakistan.

Pakistan has been actively pursuing China to join the $7.4 billion project ever since India stayed away from several meetings held last year to discuss the finalisation of the pipeline. China has given no firm commitment on joining the project as yet.

Referring to talks held recently between Pakistani and Iranian leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and in Islamabad, Qureshi said there had been a “qualitative change” in the project as the two countries had agreed to proceed bilaterally on the pipeline without waiting for India.

“As we are not prepared to wait for the third partner, we will proceed bilaterally,” he said. “Iran and Pakistan will welcome India (whenever it chooses to join the project), but it has not reached the stage of making a decision.”

Pakistan and Iran now planned to implement the pipeline in a “fast track” mode and Qureshi said he would visit Tehran to finalise modalities for the venture. The two countries decided to proceed bilaterally on the pipeline during Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki’s visit to Islamabad on October 10.

(With inputs from agencies)

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