Pakistan pledges to implement gas project

Pakistan says it will go with the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline despite skepticism over the project from the United States.

"Pakistan is determined to implement IPI gas pipeline project and transfer Iran's gas to Pakistan and India," said Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told reporters on Tuesday.

She said the US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affair Richard Boucher is not co-operating with Pakistan's interest and "that was undesirable."

"We have a transparent and clear stance on this issue and Iran's gas is our first priority in providing energy for our country," Aslam was quoted as saying by IRNA.

Both President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have decided to finalise the giant project, she added.

Boucher had said that the US was skeptical about the proposed seven-billion dollar gas pipeline project and warned it has already made clear the "consequences" for any country cooperating with Iran.

"We've expressed our skepticism about the project. We've expressed our reservations about the project," he said in an interview to Pakistani TV channels.