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Not the right time to invest in Iran gas, says Christina Rocca

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Reiterates United States' opposition to Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline

ISLAMABAD: : U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca has said that America was conscious of Pakistan's energy needs and would begin a dialogue to assist Islamabad meet its growing energy requirements.

In a videoconferencing session with a group of Pakistani journalists here from Washington, Ms. Rocca, however, evaded a direct reply if the U.S. would extend the same kind of facilities it had made available to India for cooperation in civilian nuclear energy.

"Will Pakistan get exactly the same deal? I don't think the issue comes up in that format because we are not into mirror imaging," she remarked.

Ms. Rocca reiterated Washington's opposition to the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project and said Islamabad and New Delhi should explore alternative sources for meeting their energy needs.

She maintained that the U.S. believed it was not the right time to invest in Iran's gas and oil sector. "We would support this gas and oil coming from somewhere else," she said.

She accused Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons programme in violation of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and of being a state sponsor of terrorism.

She said investments in oil and gas sector in Iran would be "a bad idea" as the U.S. would be beefing up the laws passed by Congress, which would attract sanctions on any investments in the Iranian oil and gas sector.

On the concerns in Pakistan over the U.S.- India recent agreements for strategic partnership in the realm of ballistic missiles, defence, space and nuclear fields, Ms. Rocca said the defence framework agreement with India was the renewal and enhancement of a previous agreement.

She said the U.S. would work with India on civil nuclear issues for peaceful means and not to boost New Delhi's nuclear weapons programme.

India had enormous energy needs that would be growing in the times to come. The U.S. aimed at providing clean nuclear energy to India.

Ms. Rocca said the U.S. would have to change its laws to make the peaceful nuclear energy cooperation with India possible. India would have to take steps to separate its military and civilian nuclear facilities, she said.

The U.S. relationship with Pakistan extended beyond just counter-terrorism into the fields of education, defence and economy. It started rebuilding its relations with Pakistan after September 2001.

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