IPI gas talks: Ahmadinejad may invite Singh and Musharraf by November-end: Kasuri
NEW YORK (September 19 2006): Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is likely to invite President General Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a negotiated settlement of the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, after the consultants appointed to work out benchmark pricing recommendations submit their report by the end of November 2006.
Talking to newsmen at Roosevelt Hotel on Sunday, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said that the gas pipeline project "is in the interest of the three countries, and it will finalise at some stage".
He said that the consultants appointed to find out benchmark pricing formula were expected to come up with their recommendations in early November. "Once it is done, there is a possibility that Iranian President Ahmedinijad invites President Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for a negotiated settlement," he added.
He said that Pakistan is a growing economy and its needs of energy resources are expected to grow proportionately. The gas reserves of Pakistan are likely to last only about 10 to 115 years as against the estimated target of 40 years. More energy sources were to be found out, he added.
About the delivery of super-sophisticated fighter jets, Kasuri said that Pakistan is not oblivious to its political, economic and defence needs and it would not take decisions that would compromise with its sovereignty.
"Pakistan has ensured that there are no bottlenecks in the delivery of F-16s, and the country is in the serious business of buying aircraft that suit its defence needs."
He said that Pakistan has ensured that the past bitterness in F-16s deal would not be remembered. "We have ensured that the past experience is not repeated."
He made it clear that Pakistan "is in the business of buying the aircraft that are of high quality" and fulfil the requirements of its air force. "Pakistan is not looking for remote-controlled toys; we need high-performance aircraft. Pakistan is paying a hefty sum of $5 billion, and what the country is acquiring is - bang for the buck."
He brushed aside all suggestions that the United States has laid down preconditions for the sale and said that the United States "has not set any unusual preconditions" for sale of the aircraft to Pakistan. "The only condition that is there pertains to non-transfer of the technology, which is a general rule in all such deals."
On the prospects of a bilateral investment treaty with the United States of America, Kasuri said that a lot of pertinent issues have been resolved, but added that it was not likely to conclude during the current visit.
However, he said, there was sustained inflow of American investment into various promising areas of Pakistan's economy.
Pakistan, he said, would safeguard its interests in respect of concluding the bilateral investment treaty with the United States.
Kasuri said that the upcoming meeting between President Musharraf and President Bush in Washington would review bilateral co-operation in an array of fields including energy, economy, education, science and technology, etc. "The meeting has significance in that this is for the first time that the two leaders will be meeting in the wake of Pakistan and US reaching a strategic partnership in March this year during the American President's visit to Islamabad. Since then, the bilateral strategic dialogue has picked up between the two partners and the two presidents now will have the opportunity to review progress in this respect," he added.
President Musharraf's visit would focus on furthering Pakistan-US ties in a broad range of fields, he said, and brushed aside the suggestion that Afghanistan might become a major issue in view of Afghan President also visiting Washington immediately after Musharraf's talks at the White House.
He expressed hope that there would be progress vis-à-vis establishment of reconstruction opportunity zones in the tribal areas. The idea was floated and discussed during President Bush's visit to Islamabad.
On the North Waziristan issue, Kasuri made it clear that Pakistan would not be pulling out the troops from the area, and "in fact, would be able now to patrol the border region effectively". The deal with tribal elders is aimed at isolating the extremists and 'weaning away' the youth from the influence of extremist elements.
Under the agreement, the tribal leaders have assured to check cross-border movement. They have committed not to allow any foreigner indulging in extremism and violence.
In reply to a question, he said that if the deal proved successful, it might be replicated by Afghanistan government. "This is a holistic approach having military, political, administrative and economic and reconstruction aspects."
Briefing journalists about the Brussels and Havana visits and meetings of the President with world leaders, Kasuri said these were useful in the sense that they provided an opportunity to clear misconceptions and misperceptions about the various policies Pakistan is pursing to find out peaceful solutions to its internal as well as external problems.
He said that the meeting between President Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was marked with flexibility and boldness. There was a message that the two countries could resolve the outstanding disputes.
When asked whether Pakistan was sending troops to Lebanon to be included in the UN peacekeeping mission, he said that no such decision had been taken. "Only army experts for mine clearing in the war-hit areas will go."
