Iran announces IPI meeting

Dubai, Mar 10 (UNI) Iran has announced that Iran-Pakistan joint working group will meet in Tehran on March 12 to discuss the seven billion dollars India-Pakistan-Iran Gas Pipeline Project.

This will be the first in the series of meetings of the India-Pakistan-Iran joint working group which is scheduled to be held from March 12 to 15.

Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs Mohammad Hadi Nejad-Hosseinian said Iran and Pakistan would hold discussions on issues such as pricing the project, economic aspects of the gas pipeline, and determination of the route for implementing the project.

Tehran and Islamabad would also discuss the gas delivery to the regions and prepare draft on the trilateral cooperation agreement, Mr Hosseinian added.

Meanwhile, Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora announced in New Delhi yesterday that a delegation led by the department's secretary M S Srinivasan will participate in the trilateral official level meeting.

A tripartite meeting of technical teams was held in Delhi earlier this year to discuss project parameters. The progress of the 2000 km IPI pipeline project was reviewed at a Ministerial-level meeting between Mr Deora and his Pakistani counterpart Amanullah Khan Jadoon on February 17 when the latter visited Delhi. Secretary-level JWGs have been set up separately with Iran and Pakistan to finalise details of the project.

UNI XC HS KN1545