US openly opposes Pak-Iran gas pipeline
WASHINGTON: In its latest opposition
of Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project, the US State Department on Wednesday
said it is in Pakistan’s interest to avoid any activity that can hit it with
sanctions.
The State Department said that it was providing Pakistan
with alternatives that would avoid any sanctions violation.
"We recognise that Pakistan has significant energy
requirements but we really think there are other long-term solutions to
Pakistan's energy needs," said deputy acting spokesman Patrick Ventrell.
"And so we've been assisting as a government to
contribute to the alleviation of the energy crisis in Pakistan," he said.
"It's in their best interests to avoid any sanctionable
activity, and we think that we provide and are providing ... a better way to
meet their energy needs in some of the assistance we're providing."
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday
urged the visiting Pakistani president to press ahead with a much-delayed $7.5
billion gas pipeline project despite US opposition.
"The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is an important example
of Tehran-Islamabad cooperation, and despite hostilities towards the expansion
of ties we must overcome this opposition decisively," Khamenei told Asif
Ali Zardari, his office reported.
The gas pipeline project is strongly opposed by Tehran's
archfoe Washington.
"Accessing safe energy source is the first priority for
any country including Pakistan. In this region, the Islamic republic is the
only nation that has safe energy resources and we are ready to provide Pakistan
its energy needs," the all-powerful Khamenei said.
Zardari, who also met with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, was quoted by the leader's office as saying: "We deeply
believe in boosting bilateral ties.
"The international and regional players have tried in
vain to prevent expansion of Iran-Pakistan ties but the people have learnt how
to act against the enemy of Islam."
The pipeline project has run into repeated problems,
including Pakistan's difficulty in finding funds and opposition to the project
from Washington, which has slapped Iran with a raft of sanctions over its
nuclear activities.
In 2010, Iran and Pakistan agreed that Tehran would supply
between 750 million cubic feet (21 million cubic metres) and one billion cubic
feet per day of natural gas by mid-2015.
Islamabad has said it will pursue the project regardless of
US pressure, saying the gas is needed to help Pakistan overcome its energy
crisis that has led to debilitating blackouts and suffocated industry.
Iran has almost completed the pipeline work in its
territory, but Pakistan has not yet started construction of 780 kilometers (490
miles) of the pipeline on its side, which is said to cost some $1.5 billion.
Sanctions-hit Iran finally agreed to finance one third of
the costs of laying the pipeline through Pakistani territory to Nawabshah,
north of Karachi, with the work to be carried out by an Iranian company.
Pakistani officials in mid-December said Iran had promised a
$500 million loan and that Islamabad would meet the rest of the cost.
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Business News:
Pakistan
EXCHANGE FOR CURRENCY NOTES:
U.S.A 99.08
S.Arabia 26.42
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Euro 129.44
U.A.E 26.98
BULLION RATES IN RUPEES PER 10 GRAMS
KARACHI
|
Gold Tezabi (24-ct) Rs52,285
Silver Tezabi Rs942.85
Thu,
28 Feb 2013
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