Pakistani, Iranian experts begin talks on gasline

LONDON, May 22 (IranMania) - Pakistani and Iranian experts opened talks Islamabad for the second time in less than a month to review progress on the $7 bln and 100 mln Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, an official said, IRNA reported.

The Pakistan-Iran Joint Working Group is discussing technical and financial issues, focusing on the finalization of a pricing formula, the official said.

Pakistan had sent a draft gas pricing formula to Iran based on domestic gas pricing mechanism and the two sides are discussing the formula.

Iran Deputy Oil Minister Mohammad-Hadi Nejad-Hosseinian, who arrived here early Sunday, is leading the high-level delegation of experts in the talks.

Secretary of Petroleum Ahmed Waqar is leading the Pakistan side to the talks.

The two sides met in late April in Islamabad and had a wide-ranging discussion on the project.

Officials say that the two sides will hold further discussion on the infrastructure and propose route for the 2,670-km pipeline in the four-day talks.

Besides, the bilateral talks between Pakistani and Iranian officials, a trilateral meeting of Iran, Pakistan and
India is to be held in the next four days.

If implemented the 2,670-km pipeline will comprise 1,115 kms in Iran, 705 kms in Pakistan and 850 kms in India.

Despite extensive discussions on the project, the United States has not given up its opposition to the project.

But Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said in the Egyptian resort of Sharm-al-Shaikh on Saturday that Pakistan will go ahead with the gas pipeline project and that the project is likely to be finalized this year.

He said Pakistan needs gas due to the country's fast economic growth.