Eye On India

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مديرامور بين*الملل شركت ملي پالايش و پخش خبر داد:

مذاكره با يك شركت هندي براي احداث پالايشگاه در بندرعباس


يكي از مقامات شركت*هاي پالايش و پخش ايران از مذاكره با يك شركت هندي براي احداث پالايشگاهي به ظرفيت 300 هزار بشكه در روز در بندرعباس خبرداد.



به نقل از رويترز، شركت ملي پالايش و پخش ايران براي احداث پالايشگاهي به ظرفيت 300 هزار شبكه در روز با شركت هندي اسار وارد مذاكره شده است.

اكبري شاد، مديرامور بين*الملل شركت ملي پالايش و پخش ايران در مصاحبه با رويترز گفت، اين پالايشگاه با سرمايه*اي بالغ بر دو ميليارد دلار در بندر عباس احداث مي*شود.

وي افزود:«شركت اسار در حال حاضر مشغول مذاكره با مقامات ايران در اين خصوص است.»

يكي از مقامات شركت اسار نيز با ابراز علاقمندي براي مشاركت در حوزه نفت و گاز ايران گفت «ما مي*خواهيم روابط خود را با ايران تقويت كنيم و به همين منظور در حال مذاكره با اين كشور در خصوص احداث يك پالايشگاه نفت خام در اين كشور هستيم.»
وي با اشاره به تصميم اين شركت براي احداث يك كارخانه فولاد در ايران نيز گفت: به همين منظور ما خواهان دستيابي به سهام چند بلوك گازي هستيم تا بتوانيم گاز مورد نياز اين كارخانه را از اين بلوك ها تامين نماييم.
براساس اين گزارش گروه اسار در نظر دارد سه كارخانه توليد فولاد در خاور ميانه احداث كند كه يك عدد آن به ظرفيت توليد 5/1 ميليون تن در سال در ايران قرار خواهد داشت.

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Iran - India Relations (Progress on Talks over Pipeline for Peace)

CRS Report on India-Iran relationship - http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/70294.pdf

It notes that New Delhi and Tehran have agreed to “join hands” in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and to support the development of “alternative access routes” to that country (bypassing Pakistan) via Iran’s Chahbahar port.

India and Iran have cooperated to secure their interests in Afghanistan. Iran feared the Sunni Islamic extremism espoused by the Taliban regime as a threat to Iran’s Shiite sect. India saw the Taliban as a manifestation of Islamic extremism that India is battling in Kashmir, and which has carried out terrorist attacks in New Delhi. India and Iran both supported Afghanistan’s minority-dominated “Northern Alliance” against the Taliban during 1996-2001 (in contrast to Pakistan, which supported the Taliban). Both countries supported the U.S. military-led ousting of the Taliban regime and both seek to prevent a return of a Taliban or Taliban-style regime. India and Iran have each separately given substantial economic aid to the U.S.-backed government of Hamid Karzai. Iran is assisting Afghanistan’s economic reconstruction through road building and other construction in the areas bordering Afghanistan. India is helping reconstruct well-known schools and buildings in Kabul (including Darulaman Palace that will be the new parliament building) and assisting with road construction in eastern Afghanistan. It is
perhaps because of Indo-Iranian cooperation in stabilizing Afghanistan that Tajikistan — a Persian-speaking Central Asian state bordering Afghanistan — allows Indian combat aircraft to use its Farkhor air base. There are reports that India will soon also be allowed to use Tajikistan’s Aini air base as well.16

IPCS - http://www.ipcs.org/South_Asia_artic...=article&mod=a

The 218 km road from will link the main Kandahar-Herat highway to the Iran border, shortening the distance from the Chahbahar port in Iran to Kabul, and further to Central Asia by about 800 km. This $84 million (Rs 378 crore) project, funded and executed by India, was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on 4 February 2004. About one fourth work has been completed. For its part, Iran is building the Chahbahar-Milak-Zaranj road in Afghanistan.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Iran, India and Afghanistan in January 2003, Afghan goods will enjoy duty free access to the Iranian port. India would also enjoy similar benefits at Chahbahar port and for transit through Iran. Furthermore, India and Iran have agreed to build a railroad from Chahbahar to the Iranian Central Railway System to link with the Karachi-Tehran Railway line, which goes further westward. While Afghanistan gains access to the outside world and acquires its true trade potential, India will be able to prevail over the hurdles raised by Pakistan by refusing to allow the transit of Indian goods to Afghanistan. The project has direct implications for India, Iran and Afghanistan and an indirect impact on Pakistan. The great game is being replayed in Afghanistan.

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مخالفت آمريكا با همكاري هند و ايران در زمينه انرژي هسته*اي


وزير انرژي آمريكا با همكاري هند و ايران در زمينه انرژي هسته*اي مخالفت كرد و مدعي شد: همكاري دهلي*نو و و تهران در زمينه انرژي هسته*اي به اهداف هسته*اي ايران كمك مي*كند.



به نقل از خبرگزاري رويترز، "سام بادمن" وزير انرژي آمريكا گفت: همكاري بين هند و كشورهاي ديگر براي توسعه منابع نفت و گاز ايران، به جمهوري اسلامي براي توسعه سلاح هاي هسته*اي كمك خواهد كرد.

وي روز پنج شنبه در پايان سفر سه روزه خود در جمع خبرنگاران در بمبئي گفت: اين مذاكرات در جريان است و در صورت تداوم آن،تصور من آن است كه اين امر به توسعه سلاح هسته*اي ايران كمك مي*كند.

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حجت*الاسلام و مسلمين "سيد محمد خاتمي"، رييس مركز بين*المللي گفت وگوي فرهنگ*ها و تمدن*ها، همكاري*هاي ميان ايران و هند را به نفع دو كشور، منطقه و جهان ارزيابي كرد.

به گزارش ايرنا از دهلي نو، وي پنجشنبه شب در سخناني در جمع مسوولان سفارت جمهوري اسلامي ايران و نمايندگي*هاي نهادهاي مختلف در دهلي نو و خانواده*هاي آنان، گفت: هند يكي از كشورهاي مهم دنيا است كه توانسته در مسير توسعه، پيشرفت*هاي خوبي داشته باشد.

رييس جمهوري سابق جمهوري اسلامي ايران كه براي سخنراني در يك كنفرانس بين*المللي روز پنجشنبه وارد هند شد افزود: كشور هند با وجود جمعيت زياد و مشكلات فراوان توانسته هم دمكراسي را تجربه كند و هم در زمينه علمي و تكنولوژي به پيشرفت*هاي خوبي دست پيدا كند.

وي تصريح كرد: ما بايد بتوانيم از امكاناتي كه در دنياي امروز هست بهتر و بيشتر استفاده كنيم. براي اعتلاي كشور، پيشرفت و قدرتمندتر شدن و برخورداري بيشتر كشور از امكانات دنيا.

خاتمي اضافه كرد: البته با اعمال ارزش*ها و معيارها به گونه*اي كه همه مردم ايران بتوانند از اين برخورداري*ها و پيشرفت*ها استفاده كنند، نه اينكه در اختيار دسته خاصي قرار گيرد.

وي در ادامه سخنان خود، دستاوردهاي جمهوري اسلامي ايران در زمينه*هاي مختلف عملي و فني در سال*هاي اخير را بر شمرد و گفت، ايران در چند سال اخير گام*هاي بلندي را در زمينه*هاي مختلف علمي و فني از جمله فناوري اطلاعات، ارتباطات و هسته*اي برداشته و ما هر روز شاهد موفقيت بيشتر ايرانيان در اين زمينه*ها هستيم و اين روند بايستي همچنان ادامه داشته باشد.

خاتمي با اشاره به موفقيت ايران در زمينه ارتباطات افزود: "در چند سال پيش (دوره رياست جمهوري خاتمي)، ۵۳هزار فيبر نوري ( بستر اصلي ارتباطات در دنياي امروز) در ايران ساخته شد و امروز بيشتر هم شده و ما متصل به اروپا و حوزه خليج فارس شديم و نيز شروع كرده بوديم به خدمات دادن به كشورهاي همسايه براي زمينه*سازي بيشتر براي ارتباطات يا در حوزه*هاي نفت، تكنولوژي و هسته*اي گام*هاي خوبي برداشته شده است كه البته خيلي سريع تر و كم هزينه تر بايد به پيش برويم.

وي اضافه كرد كه ملت و دولت بايد دست به دست هم بدهند تا ايران به جايگاه و موقعيت واقعي خود برسد.

خاتمي، از موقعيت جغرافيايي ايران در چهار راه غرب به شرق و جنوب به شمال به عنوان امتياز برجسته اين كشور براي دستيابي به موققيت*هاي علمي و اقتصادي هر چه بيشتر ياد كرد.

وي يادآور شد: " ايران در قلب جاده ابريشم و جاده ادويه قرار داشته و اين امتياز بزرگي براي ايران در دستيابي به موفقيت*هاي علمي، فني و اقتصادي در گذشته بوده و در حال حاضر نيز مي*باشد." خاتمي در بخش ديگري از سخنان خود، آغاز سال نو را به حاضران تبريك گفته و جايگاه نوروز را در تاريخ و فرهنگ ايران باستان تشريح و انتخاب نوروز به عنوان آغاز سال را نشانه هوشمندي، ابتكار، ذوق، واقع بيني و روحيه بالاي ايراني دانست.

اين روحاني متفكر بين*المللي، همچنين از ويژگي*هاي فرهنگ ايراني در جذب ديگر فرهنگ*ها تمجيد كرد و گفت: ايراني هويت خود را طوري تعريف كرده است كه خودش را با ديگر هويت*ها در ستيز نمي*بيند.

وي افزود: گرايش*هاي قومي، نژادي و حتي گرايش*هاي مذهبي كه انسان را از ديگري جدا مي*كند در فرهنگ و تمدن ايراني كمتر مي*بينيم.

ايراني توانسته است كه اقوام مهاجم وحشي را در خودش هضم كند و آنان را به عنوان عاملي براي بسط و گسترش فرهنگ خودش در بياورد و اين افتخار افتخار بزرگي است.

خاتمي گفت: اين ملت و اين قوم و آن سابقه و با اين موقعيت (جغرافيايي) شايسته آن است كه جايگاه والايي در دنياي امروز داشته باشد.

پيش از سخنان سيد محمد خاتمي، "سياوش زرگر يعقوبي"، سفير جمهوري اسلامي ايران در هند، به "خاتمي" و همراهان وي و ديگر ميهمانان حاضر خير مقدم گفت و از ابتكار ايشان در راه*اندازي بحث جهاني "گفت و گوي بين فرهنگ*ها و تمدن*ها" تمجيد كرد.

وي گفت كه آقاي "خاتمي" بنا به دعوت رسمي دولت هند و موسسه مشهور و وزين "اينديا تودي" ( (India Todayبه منظور تشريح ديدگاه*هاي خود در مورد ضرورت گفت و گوي بين فرهنگ*ها و تمدن*ها در عصر حاضر به اين كشور سفر كرده است.

سفير جمهوري اسلامي ايران در هند، همچنين پيشرفت*هاي حاصله در روابطه بين هند و ايران در چند سال اخير را بر شمرد.

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"مان موهان سينگ" نخست وزير هند در ديدار با "سيد محمد خاتمي" رئيس مركز بين*المللي گفت و گوي فرهنگ*ها و تمدن*ها، گفت: هند خواستار برگشت پرونده هسته*اي ايران به شوراي حكام است.


به گزارش ايرنا از دهلي نو، سينگ روز جمعه با بيان اين مطلب كه هند مخالف هر گونه راه حل نظامي يا اقدام*هاي تنبيهي است، افزود: دهلي نو همچنين مخالف يك جانبه گرايي در برخورد با مساله هسته*اي ايران است.

نخست وزير هند با اشاره به روابط خوب ميان دو كشور هند و ايران، جمهوري اسلامي ايران را كشوري برادر و دوست استراتژيك هند خواند. سيد محمد خاتمي نيز در اين ديدار در خصوص موضوع هسته*اي گفت: پرونده هسته*اي ايران در موقعيت خيلي خوبي بود. ايران نرمش زيادي نشان داد، اروپائيان نيز از خود انعطاف نشان دادند و امكان حل حقوقي مساله وجود داشت اما متاسفانه آمريكائيان به اين روند كمك نكردند.

رئيس جمهوري سابق ايران افزود: مقام*هاي آمريكا به *جاي تقويت مذاكره تلاش كردند تا اروپائيان را با خودشان همراه كنند.

خاتمي در ديدار با نخست وزير هند با بيان اينكه تنها راه حل اين مساله مذاكره است آنهم مذاكره بدون پيش شرط، ابراز اميدواري نمود كه در مدت كوتاهي مذاكره به نتايج مورد قبول تمامي طرف*ها بيانجامد.

رئيس مركز بين*المللي گفت و گوي فرهنگ*ها و تمدن*ها همچنين با اشاره به بحران*هاي مختلف منطقه*اي و جهاني گفت كه مي*توان با تكيه بر نقاط مشترك تمدن هندي و ايراني، راه*حل*هاي صلح جويانه مبتني بر منطق و خرد براي معضلات و مشكلات جهان معاصر پيدا كرد.

خاتمي در اين ديدار از نخست وزير هند خواست كه از وزارت توسعه منابع انساني اين كشور بخواهد كه در راستاي توافقنامه حفظ ميراث مشترك ايران و هند، در كشف، حفاظت، مرمت و فهرست برداري از نسخ فارسي در هند كار مشتركي را با ايران آغاز كند كه اين خواست مورد قبول مقام هندي قرار گرفت.

خاتمي كه روز پنجشنبه به دعوت مقام*هاي هندي و موسسه رسانه*اي "اينديا تودي " به هند سفر كرده است امروز همچنين در گردهمايي بين*المللي سالانه اين موسسه به ايراد سخن پرداخت.

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احزاب چپ هند ضمن حمايت از اجراي پروژه خط لوله انتقال گاز ايران به هند از طريق پاكستان، مخالفت آمريكا با اين پروژه را شرم*آور خواندند.

به گزارش ايرنا از دهلي نو، احزاب چپ هند روز جمعه با انتشار بيانيه*هاي جداگانه، از دولت هند خواستند كه در برابر فشارهاي واشنگتن مقاومت كند.

حزب كمونيست شاخه ماركسيست هند در واكنش به گزارشي مبني بر اينكه "ساموئل بودمن" وزير انرژي آمريكا هنگام ديدار خود از دهلي نو، مخالفت واشنگتن با پروژه خط لوله گاز را به دولت هند ابلاغ كرده است، اعلام كرد كه پروژه گاز ايران براي منافع هند و امنيت انرژي اين كشور بسيار مهم است.

كميته سياسي حزب كمونيست شاخه ماركسيست هند در بيانيه*اي كه در اين ارتباط منتشر كرد اضافه نمود: مخالفت صريح آمريكا با خط لوله گاز ايران در جهت منافع اين كشور و برآورده شدن اهداف واشتگتن در ضديت با ايران است.

اين حزب يادآور شده است كه دولت هند بايستي براي اجراي پروژه خط لوله گاز و نيز تكميل مذاكرات خود با پاكستان بر سر پرداخت حق ترانزيت گاز و ديگر هزينه*ها تلاش كند.

حزب كمونيست هند نيز، مخالفت آمريكا با پروژه خط لوله گاز را شرم آور خواند و گفت: آمريكا با هر تلاشي كه هند براي امنيت انرژي خود در همكاري با ايران انجام مي*دهد، مخالفت مي*كند. اين چيزي جز دخالت تحريك*كننده در امور هند نيست.

حزب كمونيست هند در بيانيه خود يادآور شد: هند به عنوان يك كشور مستقل از حق تضمين امنيت انرژي از طريق همكاري اقتصادي با ايران برخوردار است.

اين حزب با اشاره به اينكه هند به آنچه آمريكا مي*گويد عمل نخواهد كرد اضافه نمود: مربوط كردن پروژه خط لوله گاز با پيمان همكاري هسته*اي هند و آمريكا شرم آور است.

"ساموئل بودمن" وزير انرژي آمريكا روز پنجشنبه در شهر بمبئي مركز ايالت مهاراشترا مدعي شد كه خط لوله گاز ايران پاكستان هند مي*تواند در ساختن سلاح هسته*اي به ايران كمك كند و بنا براين "ما نياز داريم اين طرح را متوقف كنيم".

"بودمن" اين مطلب را در حاشيه گردهمايي تحت عنوان "همكاري هسته*اي هند و آمريكا: فرصت*ها و چالش*ها" كه توسط "فدراسيون اتاق*هاي بازرگاني و صنايع هند (فكي) با حضور "آنيل كاكودكر" رئيس كميسيون انرژي هسته*اي و مسئول بخش انرژي هسته*اي و "اس. كي. جين" مدير عامل شركت نيروي هسته*اي هند برگزارشد، بيان داشت.

وزير انرژي آمريكا گفت كه وي اين نگراني را به مقام*هاي عالي هند در دهلي*نو اعلام كرده است.

وي در عين حال با اشاره به اينكه دولت آمريكا بطور مداوم براي نهايي كردن پيمان همكاري هسته*اي با دولت هند تلاش مي*كند گفت است كه دو موضوع خط لوله گاز ايران با پيمان همكاري هسته*اي آمريكا با هند از يكديگر جدا است.

بودمن روز سه*شنبه گذشته نيز در دهلي نو گفته بود كه همكاري هند و ايران، روابط هند و آمريكا را مختل نخواهد كرد.

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"مان موهان سينگ" نخست وزير هند، روز جمعه ضمن ستايش و قدرداني از حكمت و دانايي سيد "محمد خاتمي" رييس جمهوري سابق ايران، بر تعهد هند در دوستي با ايران تاكيد كرد.

به گزارش ايرنا از دهلي نو، "سينگ" روز جمعه پس از ديدار با خاتمي و در جمع صدها تن از شخصيت*هاي انديشمند و متفكر هند و ديگر كشورها با اشاره به حضور رئيس مركز بين*المللي گفت و گوي فرهنگ*ها و تمدن*ها گفت: اين فرصت خوبي است كه تعهد خود نسبت به دوستي با ايران را تجديد كنيم. نخست وزير هند، خاتمي را شهروند جهان و دوست عالي هند خواند.

وي همچنين يادآور شد: هيچ مساله*اي در جهان نيست كه نتوان آن را از طريق مذاكره و گفت و گو حل كرد.

مان موهان سينگ در بخش ديگري از سخنان خود در اجلاس موسسه اينديا تودي با اشاره به اجلاس آتي سران كشورهاي عضو سازمان همكاري منطقه*اي آسياي جنوبي (سارك) اظهارداشت كه هند خواهان گسترش و تحكيم روابط با كشورهاي همسايه و نيز كشورهاي ساحلي اقيانوس هند و اقيانوس آرام است.

اجلاس سارك در هند در روزهاي سه*شنبه و چهارشنبه آينده در دهلي*نو برگزار مي*گردد.

"مان موهان سينگ" ضمن تاكيد بر اينكه سرنوشت مردم منطقه آسياي جنوبي به يكديگر ارتباط دارد، گفت كه همه كشورهاي همسايه بايستي به آينده خود مطمئن باشند.

نخست وزير هند افزود: بهبود وضع كشورهاي همسايه به نفع هند است و توسعه هند نيز به نفع كشورهاي همسايه است.

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وزير نفت هند:

مذاكرات مربوط به خط لوله انتقال گاز ايران رو به پايان است


وزير نفت هند از اتمام مذاكرات مربوط به خط لوله انتقال گاز ايران - پاكستان - هند در آينده نزديك خبر داد.



به نقل از ميس، وزير نفت هند گفت: مذاكرات ميان ايران، پاكستان و هند بر سر عرضه گاز از طريق خط لوله صلح رو به كامل شدن دارد.

مورلي دئورا در گفت*وگو با ميس افزود: «انتظار نمي*رود تاخير عمده*اي در امضاي موافقت*نامه فروش و خريد گاز از ايران ميان سه كشور پديد آيد».

دئورا تعيين تعرفه انتقال گاز ايران از طريق خاك پاكستان به هند را مهمترين موضوع مورد بحث در مورد اين خط لوله دانست و گفت: شوكت عزيز نخست وزير پاكستان اطمينان داده است تعرفه*هاي انتقال گاز ايران به هند از طريق خاك پاكستان بر اساس قيمت*هاي بين*المللي تعيين مي*شود.

وي در پاسخ به اين پرسش كه هند حاضر است چه قيمتي را در برابر گاز ايران بپردازد گفت:*« با توجه به درازا مدت بودن اين قرارداد ما حاضريم در حدود پنج دلار در برابر هر يك ميليون واحد حرارتي انگليس بپردازيم».
او افزود: «اين يك قرارداد دراز مدت است و لذا بايد قيمت درستي را براي آن انتخاب كنيم. شش دلار براي هر يك ميليون واحد حرارتي انگليس بسيار بالا است.»

[indian_blues]

India opposes military or economic force against Iran


NEW DELHI: As the standoff between Iran and the West continues over the former's nuclear programme, India on Tuesday voiced strong opposition to any ``threat or implied threat'' of use of military or economic force against Tehran, saying it would not yield any positive results.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told a meeting of the 45-nation Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Hamburg in Germany that Iran ``must be engaged purposefully and candidly'' as ``threats against or denigration of the country will not work.''

"Curbs will not work"

He, however, underlined that Iran had to be mindful of its international obligations. ``Progress on the issues that concern us [with regard to Iran] will not be possible by the use or the threat of use of force or sanctions,'' Mr. Mukherjee said, making an intervention at the ASEM amidst looming possibility of fresh United Nations sanctions against Iran.

Iran hailed

Hailing Iran as a country with tremendous natural and human resources, Mr. Mukherjee said development of these resources would make the Persian nation a factor for regional security and not ``the threat or the implied threat of use of military or economic force.''

India, along with Pakistan, Mongolia, Bulgaria and Romania, on Tuesday became a member of ASEM.

Mr. Mukherjee, who is leading the Indian delegation, was welcomed to the ASEM family by German Foreign Minister Franz-Walter Steinmeier, who is hosting the two-day meet in his capacity as the president of the European Council of Ministers.

Besides the five countries, the ASEAN Secretariat also became a new member of the ASEM.

>Underlining the significance of the ASEM's expansion towards South Asia, Mr. Steinmeier said the informal dialogue process between Europe and Asia, initiated in 1996, now represented about 50 per cent of the world's GDP, 58 per cent of the global population and 60 per cent of international trade.

This strength would enhance the ASEM's capacity to influence international politics, he said.

ASEM now dealt with issues related to foreign policy and security such as the Middle-East and Afghanistan, energy and climate change, socio-political themes such as employment and education, inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue as well as information and communication technology, he said.

The Minister said fora such as the ASEM would have a greater role to play in reaching common solutions to the problems confronting humanity in an increasingly globalised world. — PTI

http://www.hindu.com/2007/05/30/stories/2007053002291500.htm

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Iran invites India, Pakistan for signing gas deal


Iran has invited India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf to Tehran for signing a 7.4 billion dollar tri-nation deal on natural gas, supply of which could start from 2011.

The meeting may take place by July end or August, Special Representative of Iranian Petroleum Minister Hojjatollah Ghanimifard told reporters after meeting with Indian Petroleum Minister Murli Deora in New Delhi.

India's petroleum minister will meet his Pakistani counterpart to finalize remaining bilateral issues before the heads of the three nations meet in Tehran for signing the deal.

Earlier, the petroleum secretaries of India and Pakistan held two rounds of talks to iron out their differences on the transportation charges and transit fees.

The Indian delegation was led by Petroleum Secretary M. S. Srinivasan, Pakistani side was headed by his counterpart Ahmed Waqar.

The Iranian delegation was represented by Hajjatollah Ghanimifard.

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Iran pipeline progress

India and Pakistan have made progress in their attempts to agree a transportation tariff for gas to be pumped via a $7bn pipeline from Iran, according to agency reports. Negotiations regarding the project have been going on for many months but the two nations have now established 'the principles' on which the tariff will be based. The project has received repeated criticism from the US which opposes economic co-operation with Iran.

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Is the Iran-India pipeline feasible?

The India-Pakistan-Iran natural gas pipeline looks a little more feasible now — after the conclusion of the trilateral talks on Friday (June 29) — but it is still a work in progress and some major divergences and constraints need to be addressed.

Prima facie, there is no denying that the IPI pipeline has the potential to be a win-win arrangement for the three nations involved but consensus is yet to be arrived at on the techno-commercial and physical security aspects of the proposed pipeline. While this project is being dubbed as a peace-pipeline between India and Pakistan — and if realised satisfactorily this could well be true — there are many banana peels that need to be s***ted.

Iran has sought price revision every three years and this would not be a desirable long-term commercial arrangement for both India and Pakistan. In the past, Tehran has played hard ball with India over gas prices and it may be noted that the IOC-GAIL-BPCL combine had signed a $22 billion contract in mid-2005 to import 5 million tonnes of LNG from Iran, beginning 2010.

However when the new government headed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came to power, they refused to honour the deal and instead sought a higher per unit price. Since the Indian government is reluctant to pay a higher price and this also involves contractual obligations, Teheran is now proposing to sell this LNG to Indian private sector entities. Given this experience, one would argue that the pricing issue cannot be brushed aside as a minor matter — and consensus on this is vital for the IPI to become more meaningfully feasible.

The physical security of the pipeline in Pakistan — for which the transit fees will be paid — is another major factor. As of now, the regions of Pakistan through which the 1,050-km long section of the IPI has to be laid and then maintained and protected for optimal performance are far from stable. The writ of the Pakistani state has been challenged by many different groups and the IPI has become a contentious domestic issue in the politics of Pakistan. Local sentiment in Baluchistan cannot be ignored. Under the circumstances, the IPI does look a little more ‘feasible now’ – but major constraints exist and need to be removed in a mutually acceptable manner.

The three parties in the ‘Peace Pipeline’, as the India-Pakistan-Iran pipeline project is called, are well disposed to seal the understanding and if all goes well, the project has potential to see the light of the day sooner rather than later.

Political relationships with neighbours used to top the concerns over the project few years back. The views of United States on the project then took over that issue and it is unclear how that factor is being tackled, but it is apparent that the three governments are no more worried about it. Security of the pipelines passing through Pakistan was, and is and would remain to be, a concern for this pipeline for India. But technical, economic and above all the political solutions to this insecurity can be found not only now but over the total life of the infrastructure.

It is now encouraging to learn that an understanding has been reached as regards the transportation tariff to be charged to India. Global tariff norms, in any case, ensure that this is normally the least contentious issue amongst the open ones.

Nevertheless, given that transportation tariff review opportunities in such projects are not as easily available, as they are for a within country pipeline, it is best to keep a long-term horizon in mind by the countries. Easier said than done, but it is expected that these issues have been factored in when the understanding was arrived at.

The difficulties and challenges are, however, far from over. Experience of dealing with Iran on gas price issue has not been very good. Change of agreed positions during discussions in earlier LNG deals tells us that it would not be easy to cross the ladder of approval hierarchies in Iran and obtain sign-offs on an acceptable pricing level and terms.

GAIL India and IndiaOil are nominated for in-country transportation of the gas received from Iran. And it would be worth giving significant attention to that as well at this stage. Not only to tide over the current energy constrained scenario, have we all hoped that the project succeeds, but also for a stronger economic tie-up with our neighbour.

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Iran draft wording puts pipeline deal in doubt


The fine print of the $7-billion Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline draft agreement given by Iran has dampened the initial euphoria of a breakthrough.

Petroleum ministry officials say the agreement, as proposed by Iran, is totally one-sided.

“The text of the draft agreement that Iran has submitted is worded in a way that gives it a window to seek a price revision at any time during the contract period. This is being fiercely opposed by us and Pakistan,” a senior official in the petroleum ministry said.

“We are increasingly seeing the move as a sign of non-commitment,” another oil ministry official said. Iran could, in fact, turn off the pipe any time, locking billions of dollars of investment, the official added.

Petroleum ministry officials are now saying that the trilateral talks held in New Delhi late last week were a failure.

“While the bilateral meeting with Pakistan was a success as we agreed on the transportation tariff, the trilateral meeting was a failure,” another petroleum ministry official said.

Before the last week’s meetings, pricing of the gas was the only issue agreed upon by all the parties. Now, even this is on the list of thorny issues, in addition to the transit fee, the route of the pipeline and security.

An official in the ministry said Iran’s shifting stand over the two-year-old LNG supply deal had made India more wary. The deal to import 5 million tonne LNG per year from Iran is stuck as Iran is not willing to supply LNG at the contracted price of $3.215 per million British thermal unit (mBtu).

At the time the deal was signed in June 2005, the price of crude oil was at $31 a barrel. Iran now wants $4.78 per mBtu.

“When they are not honouring an already signed contract, why should we sign more contracts with them?” said the official.

The pipeline deal should be linked with the LNG import deal, said a Delhi-based analyst.

There is one more issue bothering the petroleum ministry officials. The 2,100-km pipeline is proposed to be built by each country in its own territory, changing a previous understanding that the three countries will invest jointly in the entire pipeline.

“This puts us at the mercy of the two other countries. As India will have no equity in the pipeline in the other two countries, they will not be answerable to us in case the taps are turned off,” the oil ministry official said.

Iran would lay a 1,100-km pipeline from the Persian Gulf to the Iran-Pakistan border while Pakistan would lay a 1,035-km line from its border with Iran to the Indian border, according to the deal.

On the record, officials are putting up a brave face. Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said last week that he expected a framework agreement to be signed after a ministerial-level meeting scheduled in Pakistan later this month.

Iran has also invited Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to Tehran in August to sign the final pact

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No invitation from Iran on IPI summit: Pak

Islamabad, July 2 (PTI): Pakistan today said it is yet to receive any invitation from Iran which had offered to host a summit for signing the multi-billion dollar Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline.

Iran had recently said it is ready to host a meeting of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President Pervez Musharraf and Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad on the pipeline issue.

Asked about the offer at a media briefing here, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said at the moment, there was no invitation from Iran. "Obviously, if there is an invitation and it is accepted, the three leaders will get together to discuss IPI. Obviously they will meet," she said.

Replying to another question, Aslam said Pakistani officials have asked India to formally intimate any plans by New Delhi to build dams on the rivers allotted to it under the Indus Waters Treaty. India has not approached Pakistan nor it informed about any new plans to build dams, she added.

"Pakistan is aware that some proposals of projects are under consideration. We have not been informed. Our relevant people have told their counterparts in India to formally inform us if the projects are being taken up so that discussions can take place on their nature," she said.

Aslam also said the process of shifting four Afghan refugee camps situated near Peshawar and Quetta could not be carried out due to logistical problems. The shifting was meant to control the "misuse" of these camps by Taliban, she said.

On the floods in southwestern Balochistan, she said Pakistan had not decided yet to seek help from any country in terms of relief work though it was approached by the UN and some countries.

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Iran puts another hurdle in IPI pipeline

The `one-sided` fine print of the USD 7 billion Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline draft agreement proposed by Iran has dampened hopes of success. The draft agreement includes a provision via which Iran can seek a price revision at any time during the contract period, a clause fiercely opposed by India and Pakistan, reports Business Standard.

A senior official in the petroleum ministry said there are more signs of non-commitment. The resource-rich country could, in fact, turn off the pipe any time, locking billions of Dollars of investment.

Petroleum ministry officials opined that the trilateral talks held in New Delhi late last week were a failure, while on the other hand, they expressed satisfaction that the bilateral meeting with Pakistan was a success with both countries agreeing on the transportation tariff.

At last week`s meetings, pricing of the gas was the only issue agreed upon by all the parties. The deal to import 5 million tons of LNG per year from Iran is not taking shape as Iran is demanding a price of USD 4.78 per million British thermal unit (mBtu) rather than the contracted price of USD 3.215 per mBtu.

Another concern for the petroleum ministry officials is that the 2,100 km pipeline proposed to be built by each country in its own territory is not in the line with the government`s understanding that the three countries will invest jointly in the entire pipeline. This means the two counterparts won`t be answerable to India in case the taps are turned off.

Of the 2,100 km pipeline, Iran would lay a 1,100 km pipeline from the Persian Gulf to the Iran-Pakistan border while Pakistan would lay a 1,035 km line from its border with Iran to the Indian border.

Last week, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora expressed his confidence that a framework agreement will be signed after a ministerial-level meeting scheduled in Pakistan later this month (July). Iran has also invited Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to Tehran in August to sign the final pact.