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NEW DELHI, March 20: The United States energy secretary said on Tuesday India's warming ties with Washington would not be hurt by its proposed oil and gas deals with Iran.
But Sam Bodman said the Bush administration remained opposed to any links that strengthened the government in Tehran.
“It does not hamper their (India's) stand with the US,” said Bodman, when asked about the impact of talks between India and Iran on sourcing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Islamic Republic and a planned pipeline to bring Iranian gas to South Asia.
He added: “Our country's position is that Iranians, notwithstanding their protestations to the contrary, are seeking nuclear weapons and we think anything that contributes to the well-being of that administration and that strategy is an error.” Analysts said Bodman's comments reflected Washington's acceptance of India's energy relationship with Iran, despite criticism from some US lawmakers on the issue.
“It shows that the US administration acknowledges the
India-Iran energy relationship and is trying to learn to live with it,” said Uday Bhaskar, a New Delhi-based independent foreign policy analyst.
“The principal point is that they recognise that India has a very critical energy need that will increase in the years ahead.” Last Friday, Karen Harbert, US assistant secretary of energy for policy and international affairs, said the United States was very concerned about any nation, including India, negotiating with Iran for the development of resources.
DIPLOMATIC DEXTERITY: Bhaskar said Bodman and Harbert's comments indicate that Washington was trying to cope with a world where many nations like China, Russia and Japan trade with Iran, despite US opposition to Iran's government and its nuclear ambitions.
“The US is groping for diplomatic dexterity in dealing with other countries and their relations with Iran. Bodman's statement reflects this.” After talks with Bodman on Tuesday, Indian Oil Minister Murli Deora said the American official had not expressed any opposition to the proposed $7 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, which has been held up for years.New Delhi hopes to sign a final deal by the end of June.
India is also negotiating with Iran to secure a deal that would see Tehran supply 5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas a year over a 25-year period from 2009.
“What do they have to do with the LNG deal with Iran?”
Deora said. “Americans have nothing to do (with it).” OPEC member Iran, which denies it is seeking nuclear arms, is the world's fourth biggest oil exporter and has the world's second biggest gas reserves.
In New Delhi, Bodman said a civilian nuclear cooperation nuclear deal, signed with India in 2005, was a “major opportunity” to boost India-US ties.
In a briefing to journalists, Bodman said he was “not uncomfortable” with the recent decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to keep current supply restraints in place.--Reuters
