Pakistani officials will travel to Iran Monday to persuade officials there Islamabad should acquire the New Delhi share in the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline
The IPI pipeline was conceptualized in 1989. Negotiations over pricing mechanisms and concerns over the Pakistani leg of the planned 1,724-mile pipeline from the Iranian South Pars field have hampered progress.
Asim Hussein, a Pakistani energy adviser, will travel to Iran Dec. 29 to meet with his Iranian counterparts to discuss purchasing the Indian shares in the project, Pakistani daily The Dawn reported.
India expressed repeated concerns over the Pakistani leg of the pipeline that will travel through volatile tribal regions.
Iran said terrorism and other concerns over the security of IPI should not drive decisions for the proposed pipeline.
"Terrorists should not dictate policy," said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Muhammad Mahdi Akhoundzadeh.
New Delhi seemingly has backed away from IPI negotiations somewhat following a civilian nuclear energy deal with Washington.
Author:
Ksenia Kochneva
