The Hindu : International / India & World : Pakistan to invite Petroleum Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 18, 2005

International

International - India & World

Pakistan to invite Petroleum Minister

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, FEB. 17. Pakistan would soon send a formal invitation to the Petroleum Minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, to visit the country for a discussion with his counterpart on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.

According to a senior official in the Pakistan Foreign Office, Islamabad has taken positive note of the Cabinet's February 9 decision giving a green signal for talks with Pakistan on the gas pipeline.

"We have already conveyed, through diplomatic channels, to New Delhi that we are ready for discussion on the pipeline at the level of Petroleum Ministers at the earliest. Now it is only a matter of finalisation of dates of mutual convenience," the official said.

Mr. Aiyer had written a letter to his Pakistani counterpart in October last year asking about the possibility of a visit either by him to Islamabad or his counterpart to New Delhi. .

However, Pakistan did not respond to the letter as India had linked the project to other issues.

With the Cabinet decision to consider the pipeline a "standalone project," the path has been cleared for the initiation of talks. The Pakistan Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, in the presence of the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, appreciated the Indian gesture and said Pakistan looked forward to cooperating with India on the project.

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