• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Vote Against Iran Would Not Affect the Gas Pipeline Project: Indian Minister

Posted on: Wednesday, 28 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

Vote against Iran would not affect the gas pipeline project: Indian minister

NEW DELHI, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- India's petroleum minister Mani Shankar Aiyar Tuesday allayed apprehensions that the proposed 7.4 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project and its 22 billion dollar deal to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Tehran was in danger, following India voting against Iran's nuclear plans.

"No, I do not believe current development would in anyway adversely affect the progress made on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline or the import of LNG," Aiyar told reporters Tuesday.

Both the deals are crucial for India's energy needs as New Delhi hopes to import 90 million standard cubic meters per day ( mmscmd) of gas through the pipeline and one-fifth of the quantity in form of LNG. India's current gas supplies are around 91 mmscmd.

New Delhi had last week along with the US and EU voted on a resolution that would refer Iran to the UN Security Council for sanctions if Tehran did not abandon its nuclear program.

Earlier on Monday, Iran had reportedly expressed disappointment at India's stand at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) vote and its ambassador had stated that the fate of the LNG deal and the pipeline depended on New Delhi's future stand.

India is in negotiations with both Iran and Pakistan on the proposed 2,400-km pipeline from Iran via Pakistan and hope to finalize a tripartite agreement by the year end for the project to take-off.

The US, however, has certain reservations about the deal. US secretary of state, Condoleeza Rice during her visit to India in March this year, put on record Bush Administration's opposition to the project in the meeting with her Indian counterpart, Natwar Singh.

In June this year, India had inked a pact with Tehran to import 5 million tones of LNG per annum, which is to commence from 2009- 10. The agreement, however, is yet to be ratified by the board of National Iranian Oil Company.

Source: Xinhua News Agency - CEIS

More News in this Category