Date:13/06/2005 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2005/06/13/stories/2005061307010100.htm
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Gas pipeline could be extended to China
Atul Aneja
MANAMA: India and Iran have discussed the extension of the
Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline to China to anchor a trans-Asia energy
tie-up.
"Iran has given the green signal on our embarking on a serious
dialogue with the Chinese authorities on whether this pipeline could be
extended to China," Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, who is in Iran
on
a three-day visit, said on Sunday.
Iranian officials also spoke about the possibility of involving
China
in the project. Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh told
Petroenergy
Information Network that the subject had been discussed with Mr. Aiyar,
and
Iran was "willing to extend the pipeline up to China."
China, India and Iran have already decided to develop Iran's giant
Yadavaran oil field as part of their growing cooperation in the energy
sector.
Iranian English daily Tehran Times re****ted that Mr. Zanganeh would
be
in Pakistan "in a few days" for discussions on the 2,600-km pipeline
project.
Meanwhile, India and Iran are all set to sign a multi-billion dollar
agreement on the annual sale of five million tonnes of gas to India for 25
years. Supplies are likely to begin towards the second half of 2009. Under
the agreement, the Gas Authority of India Limited would market 40 per cent
of the liquefied natural Gas (LNG), Indian Oil Cor****ation 35 per cent and
Bharat Petroleum Cor****ation Limited the rest.
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