News
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Pakistan assures Iran on gas deal* President Zardari tells Iranian vice president Pakistan also wants to import electricity from Iran
* Two countries resolve to enhance bilateral trade to $5 billion
* VP Ali Seedlou says Iran will help Pakistan in development projects
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is committed to implementing the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project at the earliest in order to meet the ever-growing demand of the country for energy and power, President Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday.
He was talking to Iranian Vice President for International Affairs Ali Seedlou, who called on him at the Presidency.
Discussing the implementation of mutually agreed projects, the president said that besides expeditious implementation of the gas pipeline project, Pakistan wanted to carry forward the proposed projects of 1000 megawatt Taftan-Quetta Power Transmission line and the 100 megawatt Gwadar power supply.
The visiting vice president said Iran had already laid gas pipeline on its side of the border, and was ready for realisation of the most important energy project.
President Zardari said the government was also pursuing a trade liberalisation policy across the border, and proposed for elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers between the two countries to further boost trade ties.
The president said that the recent agreement between the two countries to work towards expanding the Pakistan-Iran Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to include additional items form both sides and making it an agenda item for the next meeting of the trade committee was a welcome move to enhance trade links between the two countries.
He said that enhancing bilateral cooperation particularly in energy, security, communication and infrastructure would help the two countries to overcome the challenges in the way of realisation of full existing potential of their equation and to realise the goal of raising bilateral trade to $5 billion from the current $1.5 billion, which he said was doable.
About cooperation in the banking sector, the president said the establishment of a joint working group and the proposed visit of a delegation of Iranian banks to meet Pakistani counterparts would give impetus to the cooperation in the sector, besides facilitating bilateral trade.
The president said that facilitating export of meat and kinnow from Pakistan would help the two countries enhance mutual trade. He said that opening of a new border crossing at Gabd-Reemdan would connect southern parts of Balochistan and Karachi to Cha Bahar and Bandar Abbas through the coastal highway.
He said Pakistan was ready to grant multiple visas to the businessmen from Iran on a reciprocal basis.
“We look forward to welcoming President Ahmedinejad for the 3rd Pakistan-Iran-Afghanistan Trilateral Summit,” the president said, adding that the forthcoming summit would hopefully prove to be an important milestone towards “our journey to find peace, stability and Afghan-led conciliation process”.
Speaking on the occasion, Iranian VP Ali Saeedlou said Pakistan and Iran had great potential to enhance their cooperation in various fields, particularly in energy, trade and economy.
He said Iran would help Pakistan in development projects, adding that the gas pipeline project would help put the people on the road to progress and prosperity. He thanked the president for meeting him and said Pakistan was an important neighbour for Iran. He assured the president of Iran’s continued support and assistance to the Pakistani government in all fields. He also announced $100 million assistance for the development of flood-stricken people in Pakistan.
Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Adviser to PM on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and other senior officials were also present on the occasion. The Iranian vice president was accompanied by senior foreign office officials, while Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Alireza Haghighian was also present at the meeting.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk