Iran-Pak-India gas agreement to be signed by June

Mumbai, Apr 30 (UNI) The Union Government today said it expects to sign the final agreement for the ambitious US 7.4 billion dollar.

Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project by June this year, at a ministerial meeting in Tehran.

''The Iranian deputy Oil Minister is visiting New Delhi tomorrow.

Many issues related with the drafting of the agreement will be discussed in the meeting with Union Petroleum minister,'' Petroleum secretary M S Srinivasan told reporters here.

He said technical experts from the three countries are meeting in the third week of May, for finalising a framework agreement on implementation of the gas pipeline project, which would be later signed at the ministerial meeting in Tehran.

Iranian deputy Oil Minister Mohammad Hadi Nejad Hosseinian, is presently in Pakistan. Yesterday, he held talks with Pakistani Petroleum Secretary Ahmad Waqar on the project.

Hosnienian, who had asked Pakistan to push the project for an early implementation, discussed a pricing formula and technical details of the project with the Pakistani representative.

About the implementation of project, Mr Srinivasan said that the Government expects to commence the project work within a span of six to nine months after the draft agreement is signed by all stakeholders.

The 2,670 km pipeline will cover around 1,115 km in Iran, 705 km in Pakistan and 850 km in India UNI JM MJ MP KN1818