December 25, 2002	Wednesday	Shawwal 20, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: Iranian President Seyed Mohammad Khatami has said that various security concerns of New Delhi are being removed to lay a gas pipeline from Iran to India via Pakistan.

“There is no problem between Iran and Pakistan to undertake the gas pipeline project but in this behalf there is a need to remove some of the security concerns of India,” he elaborated.

Addressing a joint news conference with Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali here on Tuesday, the Iranian leader said that the laying of the pipeline was economically a viable project which would certainly benefit the three countries.

“I have discussed this issue in detail with President Musharraf and Prime Minister Jamali and I am happy to tell you that Pakistan and Iran are ready for this project,” he said, hoping that India, too, would be taken along to start the project as early as possible.

Prime Minister Jamali said that Pakistan had already held out assurances for the security of the pipeline and added that his government would continue extending cooperation to Iran over the issue.

The Iranian president emphasized that peace and stability in the region would ensure the laying of pipeline.

According to a feasibility study, the 1,400km-long pipeline would cost $2.4 billion and after its completion, Pakistan would get $350 million to $400 million royalty annually.

There had been different proposals for three pipelines, separately from Turkmenistan, Qatar and Iran.

However, due to situation in Afghanistan, the project from Turkmenistan to Pakistan could not materialize.

Nevertheless negotiations were held recently between Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan to lay the pipeline and they were likely to sign an agreement on Thursday or Friday.

This development, insiders maintained, pushed Iran to revive the idea of the similar pipeline from Iran to India via Pakistan. The third proposal to lay a pipeline from Qatar has almost been abandoned as it was becoming difficult to find a potential investor for that.