By Anjana Pasricha,
VOA, New Delhi
Pakistan's foreign minister, on a visit to
India, has urged India to move ahead with a gas pipeline project that will carry
gas from Iran to India via Pakistan. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi,
the visit comes as both countries try to give a boost to a slow-moving peace
process.
During talks with his Indian counterpart in New
Delhi Friday, Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called on India to
finalize a $7 billion gas pipeline project that is to carry gas from Iran to
both Pakistan and India.
He says the project will benefit both countries and lessen the impact of
spiraling energy prices.
"The energy prices have gone berserk and both countries are suffering on account
of that this is a project that can help us mitigate our problems vis a vis
energy shortages," said Qureshi. "We need energy and this is a project that is a
do-able project."
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map source:
U.S.
Government (click
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The proposed pipeline will carry natural gas from Iran's
South Pars Fields in the Persian Gulf to Pakistan's major cities
of Karachi and Multan and then farther onto New Delhi, India
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Progress on the project has been delayed due to
India's fears about the pipeline's security during its route through long-time
rival Pakistan. The project is also opposed by the United States, which wants to
isolate Iran over its disputed nuclear program.
Indian foreign minister, Pranab Mukherjee, said New Delhi hopes to resolve
technical and commercial aspects of the project with Islamabad.
The Pakistani foreign minister, also called for a boost to the five-year peace
process between the two countries, saying the South Asian neighbors should move
from conflict management to conflict resolution.
Qureshi says there is broad political support in both countries to deepen the
peace process.
"There is a virtual consensus on movement and normalization," he said. "We must
seize this opportunity. We have the right environment, and we must not miss this
opportunity. It will be a great loss."
Qureshi is on his first visit to India since a democratic government took power
in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, the Indian foreign minister, Pranab Mukherjee, reiterated New Delhi's
concerns on terrorism. India says Islamic militants infiltrate into Indian
territory from Pakistan - and Mukherjee wants closer cooperation from Islamabad
in combating the threat.
"Whatever be our political differences, we have to be unambiguous in addressing
the terrorist threat," he said. "We hope that in future meetings concrete
results, including exchange of information on terrorists and terrorist
incidents, will emerge."
Both sides say a fresh round of peace talks will be held next month to discuss
their dispute over Kashmir - the Himalayan region that is divided between them
and claimed by both.
The peace process has lowered tensions between the rivals and made the
once-volatile Kashmir border relatively peaceful. But there has been little
progress so far on resolving their conflicting claims to the Himalayan region.
... Payvand News - 06/28/08 ...
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