US likely to persuade Pakistan to abandon Iran gas pipeline project

[Devil Soul]

US likely to persuade Pakistan to abandon Iran gas pipeline project
By Kamran Yousaf
Published: September 14, 2011
ISLAMABAD: The US is likely to persuade Pakistan to abandon the multi-billion dollar Iran gas pipeline project when senior officials from the two sides open talks today in Islamabad to discuss energy cooperation.
The two-day discussion on energy cooperation under the banner of Pak-US strategic dialogue come in the backdrop of recent high-level exchanges between Islamabad and Tehran in which the two neighbours vowed to expedite gas pipeline project.
US Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs Carlos Pascual, who arrived here on Tuesday, will lead the American delegation while Pakistan would be represented by Water and Power Minister Naveed Qamar.
The talks are expected to be tense after Pakistan, despite US objections, renewed this week its commitment to the Iran gas pipeline project.
Washington has long been pushing Islamabad to stay away from the project warning that the economic sanctions on Iran could affect the pipeline.
In recent months, Pakistan has reached out to its neighbours including Iran and China in an effort to offset the possible fallout of its strained ties with the US.
Last week, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told the visiting Iranian foreign minister that Pakistan has decided to reach out to its neighbouring countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, India, China, Russia and central Asian states to improve its relations in qualitative terms.
Despite PM Gilani’s remarks, the energy dialogue appears to suggest that Pakistan considers the US help key to meeting its future energy demands.
Ahead of the talks, US envoy Pascual along with other officials met Qamar to review cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector.
According to an official statement, Pascual told the minister that the US is keen to address the energy issues and to support the future water and power projects in Pakistan.
Some programmes are already underway through USAID and more will be discussed for financial and technical cooperation in the Pak-US Energy Dialogue, he added.
During the two-day discussions, the two sides will discuss the possibility of US financing the Diamer Basha Dam.
The US had already agreed to finance part of the project despite Indian objections, which considered northern areas as disputed territory where the proposed dam is being built.
The US move will allow other international financial institutions to finance the mega project.
Naveed Qamar told the US envoy that Pakistan is looking forward to future projects and “the energy dialogue will help both countries to enhance their cooperation keeping in view the future electricity requirements”.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2011.
US likely to persuade Pakistan to abandon Iran gas pipeline project – The Express Tribune

 

[Doctor09]

now its a time to tell US..mind your own business

 

[TARIQ BN ZIYAAD]

Assalam alaikum

give us nuclear deal just like india and still we will go with this pipeline project

TARIQ

 

[DelhiDareDevil]

Assalam alaikum

give us nuclear deal just like india and still we will go with this pipeline project

TARIQ

Yeh, USA might as well give the same nuclear deal to Ethopia, Niger and Mali too, while they are at it too.

 

[Devil Soul]

Yeh, USA might as well give the same nuclear deal to Ethopia, Niger and Mali too, while they are at it too.

 

[luckyyy]

US likely to persuade Pakistan ..
US not does it yet !!

seem pakistani media try to make it's own news..

 

[longbrained]

It is already too late. Pakistan can not trust Americans fully any more. Pakistan needs an effective counter balance in its foreign policy and Iran is that force. With this counter balance, American would be demanding more and more. Pakistan needs a fail safe, a kind of trump card, an ace or something.

 

[DelhiDareDevil]

No its you guys being deluded.

Please stop placing India and Pakistan among the same thing, were much different now on different paths.

 

[Drawn_Sword_of_God]

nice, what is the price for this?

 

[somebozo]

Sure, so we have a card to play for the nuke deal. One strong point about Zardari has taken a firm standing that Pakistan will peruse its regional interests with whom ever it wants and will not accept foreign pressure. You know in the case of Iran, the Arabs and American are on the same page.

Case in point the gas pipeline deal and the bilateral MOU few days ago to boost Iran-Pakistan trade.


Iran, Pakistan to boost bilateral trade - Yahoo!

 

[lem34]

Sorry for stating the obvious. But with our moronic leadeers it must be said we cannot and must not under any circumstance ever put pakistans interest second after americas or any other country. if the oil pipeline is in pakistans best interest and I think it is then we must go for it

 

[BATMAN]

now its a time to tell US..mind your own business

I'm sorry but our politicians are all American nationals, so if it happens than trust, US permission was involved.

May be on the surface their may be some statements by both friends Iran & US.

 

[ziaulislam]

iranian gas is four times expensive then what we produce locally 8 times expensive what iran provides its to its citizen and only sligthly cheaper than what we will get from other countries(beacuse theyre will be no tranport chargers otherwise its expensive then what qatar offered us)...
its so expensive than india backed out as it told iran it can get cheaper gas elsewhere..

Gas energy: Time for Govt. to wake up - Views on News from Equitymaster

As of now, the cost that India is supposed to pay for the gas from this pipeline comes to a minimum US$ 10/mmBtu. This compares to $7.5 per mmBtu - the rate at which Turkmenistan sells gas to China. The premium that India is supposed to pay covers not only transportation charges, but the guarantee for safe passage through not so friendly neighbors. This also compares to US$ 4.2 per mmBtu of rate under APM (Administered price mechanism) regime. But why are we dumping so much of statistics here. The point we are making is - with such pricing terms, aren't we better off increasing our imports than investing in multi billion pipeline fraught with security concerns? Especially when supply from this pipeline is not even guaranteed. In brief, the discussions are too theoretical. If the project goes through with such pricing terms , it could turn out to be a retrogressive step.
in nutshell we will be getting expensive gas if we compare other gas pipeline projects and cheaper if we consider importing gas through ships and terminals..
so it isnt a sweat deal for us..its a no choice type of deal through which iran wants to gain huge profits

 

[lem34]

I'm sorry but our politicians are all American nationals, so if it happens than trust, US permission was involved.


May be on the surface their may be some statements by both friends Iran & US.

and therein lies our problem our so called "leaders"

 

[DV RULES]

now its a time to tell US..mind your own business

Off course they should mind their own business but we shouldn't forget that we can't leave US at this moment unless we will not make stable and hopeful relations with regional main power. If business move on our terms then we have to go through. Strategically sanctions on Iran is the part of effort to keep away south Asian countries from Iran by all economical & strategic interests but same time it’s not USA which in energy problem but our problem so Pakistan have to make its own way rather than follow third party's rout.

Last week, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told the visiting Iranian foreign minister that Pakistan has decided to reach out to its neighbouring countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, India, China, Russia and central Asian states to improve its relations in qualitative terms.

This statement tells enough.