Russia seeks role in Iran-India pipeline

[TexasLawyer]

Source: BLOOMBERG, REUTERS

Russia seeks role in Iran-India pipeline

Monday, May 07, 2007

Gazprom, Russia's natural gas monopoly, is keen to contribute to the construction of a US$7.4 billion (HK$57.72 billion) natural-gas pipeline between Iran, Pakistan and India, said Abubakir Shomuzov, its representative to Iran.

Gazprom is ready to participate in the construction and procurement of the pipeline, Shomuzov told Iran's oil ministry press agency. The Gazprom representative also proposed to extend the pipeline to China because of high gas demand in the world's most populous country.

The pipeline, which is yet to receive clear pledges of funding, has been in the planning stage for more than a decade. The United States wants India to shun the project to isolate Iran, which it says is trying to make nuclear weapons. Iran and India said last month they were determined to sign a contract to build a natural-gas pipeline via Pakistan by June 30.

The pipeline, which will mainly transfer gas from Iran's South and North Pars offshore fields in the Persian Gulf, will initially carry 60 million cubic meters of gas per day, Iran's negotiator, Hojatollah Ghanimifard, said. The second phase should see the transfer of an additional 90 million cubic meters a day, he said. Oman's oil minister said Sunday a proposed refinery and petrochemical complex on the country's southeast coast could cost more than US$7 billion to develop.

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Read more: http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=22&art_id=43810&sid=13481843&con_type=1

[TexasLawyer]

1. Does this mean an end to the mangoes for nukes deal with India?!?

http://www.hindu.com/2007/05/06/stories/2007050604280800.htm

U.S. Congressmen attack India's relations with Iran, link this to nuclear deal

Text of Lantos letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

Tom Lantos, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States House of Representatives, and six other leading Congressmen wrote a highly controversial letter,
dated May 2, 2007, to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In the missive, they have attacked
India's relations with Iran, warned that the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal might be jeopardised
by the continuation of these relations, and also accused India of making illegal efforts
to procure sensitive technology for its ballistic missile programme.

They have demanded that India "cease illicit procurement activities in the U.S., sever
military cooperation with Iran, and terminate India's participation in the development
of Iran's energy sector." Here is the text of their letter:

Dear Prime Minister Singh:

We are writing to express our grave concern regarding several recent developments that, if left unaddressed, have the potential to significantly harm prospects for the establishment of the "global partnership" between the United States and India that you and President Bush announced on July 18th, 2005 and for peaceful nuclear cooperation between our two countries.

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[stillcool]

2. Youza.....is this 'diplomacy'?

[pinto]

3. The world moves on as we sit and sulk, stubbornly spending lives and money

on the Iraq fiasco and Bushco's failed dream of transforming the MIddle East in our own image. And so it goes.

While I'm no big fan of increasing the world's use of oil and gas, there is a bright side to this. These agreements may foster a better standard of living for South Asia and the Caucasus communities, in the short term, economically.

And from the Renaissance forward, effective self government seems to be fostered by a rising economic middle class, whatever that means in local terms.

[Robb]

4. I always like to pull out this old essay:

From November 2001.

[Igel]

5. I can understand why they want to build the pipeline.

I just can't understand why they're actually going to.

I mean, seriously ... Pakistan routinely has gas pipelines blown up by Baloches that are pissed at Islamabad. They'll be sure to target this ... they don't have much use for Iran, either.

Then there are the people that despise India; they'll be sure to think of this as a target that just keeps giving publicity.

[cliss]

6. I'll bet my next pay check -

this one is going to happen, bombs or no bombs.

India desperately needs energy. China is currently scouring the globe to find sources of oil/natural gas/other things.

Iran has both petroleum and natural gas. In fact, they have the world's largest deposit of natural gas. Iran & India have had good relations for a long time. They have wanted this for a long time.

And YES the US is going to have a thermonuclear meltdown over it. It doesn't matter.