India positive on pipeline through Pakistan, says Iran

India positive on pipeline through Pakistan, says Iran
JYOTI MALHOTRA

NEW DELHI, JULY 21: If Iran continues to push the way it has done with New Delhi over the past couple of days on building a pipeline through Pakistan to India, there could be a change of heart in New Delhi.

Iran's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohsen Aminzadeh told a group of reporters here on Thursday that recently Pakistan had given Teheran a written assurance guaranteeing the security of any pipeline through its territory to India.

"We have told Indian officials that we have received written guarantees (from Pakistan's minister of energy) on the security of the pipeline," Aminzadeh said, adding, "I noted the Indian officials have a positive attitude on this subject."

The Iranian Minister's comments acquire enormous significance in the light of the fact that New Delhi has so far refused to publicly countenance the idea of a pipeline through Pakistan because that would mean talking to General Musharraf. For the record, the Government has said it will not hold a dialogue with Islamabad until it sees evidence of a reduction in cross-border terrorism.

Aminzadeh said he accepted that the problems of "politics and security" were "tangible" but he felt these factors should not "prevent India from accepting the economic benefits" of the project.

He pointed out that multilateral and international guarantees were already available and that at the next meeting of the joint working group on the issue in Teheran, sometime next month, Iran hoped to convince the Indian delegation on this matter.

The spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs, later commenting on the talks between the two sides said there was a "certain complementarity (sic) on the issue of energy security" but would not comment on any political progress on this issue. He insisted that the matter was a "bilateral" one between India and Iran.

Aminzadeh, as well, had no problems with accepting that at present the project was a bilateral one. But he also had no qualms in adding that "at a later phase, Pakistan can be involved...We hope that the three ministers of energy (from India, Iran and Pakistan) will meet and discuss this issue".

The Iranian Minister insisted that neither side could ignore the "substantial economic benefits" of the overland project. Saying that alternatives like the LNG route or laying the pipeline through shallow waters were far costlier - he could not put a figure to it - he pointed out that Iran had "no problem" pursuing this issue with Pakistan.

The lack of comparable enthusiasm in New Delhi today is clearly on account of the security issues involved in going the Pakistani route. External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh had pointed out that there must be a "marriage of convenience" between politics, economics and security in Teheran two months ago, and that seems to be the view at present.

All eyes are now on the ministry delegation - to be headed by Secretary (East) K V Rajen, with joint secretaries from the ministries of Petroleum, MEA and Defence - which will travel to Iran next month to continue talks.