Pipeline, investments on Aiyar’s Pak agenda

Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has his plate full when he visits Pakistan, Azerbaijan and Iran in the next one week. While the propos...

Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar has his plate full when he visits Pakistan, Azerbaijan and Iran in the next one week. While the proposed Indo-Iran gas pipeline through Pakistan, import of Iran’s LNG and share in Iran’s crude oil will top the agenda, Aiyar will also look into a host of other issues including a ‘preliminary, though non-committal’ talk on possible Indian investment when Pakistan disinvests in its firm Pakistan State Oil.

While in Iran, the bulk of the talks would concentrate on LNG and crude, India would link the LNG imports to stake in the two oil fields of Yadavaran and Jufeyr.

While the 5 million tonnes per annum of imports will be linked to 20 per cent stake in Yadavaran, the additional 2.5 million TPA will be linked to 100 per cent stake in Jufeyr. While stake in Yadavaran will fetch India 60,000 barrels per day, that in Jufeyr will give New Delhi 30,000 barrels per day of crude.

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Apart from these issues, a joint proposal by IOC and Petropars for a block in the South Pars, an ONGC proposal to take another separate block in South Pars and other proposals will come up in the joint working group meeting on June 11.

Stating that his mandate at present is to talk to Pakistan for piped gas from Iran at the Indian border, Aiyar said there would be separate bilateral negotiations with Iran. Import of natural gas from Iran and Turkmenistan through separate pipelines passing through Pakistan is also on the agenda.

ADB has been pursuing the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) pipeline and its possible extension to India.

‘‘As of now my mandate is to work on a bilateral agreement between India and Iran for purchase of gas at Indian borders. Another set of agreement would be between Iran and Pakistan on the passage of the gas through Pakistani territory,’’ Aiyar said.

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The minister will also discuss the issue of possible export of Indian diesel to Pakistan in which IOC has shown keen interest.

PM to decide petrol, diesel price hike: Aiyar

New Delhi: Mani Shankar Aiyar said the issue of raising petrol and diesel prices rests with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and he will take a final call soon. ‘‘It is in hands of the PM. He is to decide,’’ he said. Aiyar, however, refused to give a timeframe for the decision on raising petrol and diesel prices in line with the increased incidence of duties and spurt in the cost of raw material. ‘‘We have repeatedly said whenever a decision is taken, we will inform you first,’’ he said. Leaders of the Left parties, who met Singh on Wednesday and Thursday, had stated that the Prime Minister had made up his mind on raising fuel prices. ‘‘Yes not only me but the PM has held discussions with the Left (on revision of petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene prices). There is no suspense and nothing is being done in secrecy,’’ he said. —ENS

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