As momentum for peace between India and Pakistan gathered, Islamabad on Tuesday said it was willing to give all necessary security guarantees to New Delhi with regard to the $ 4.5 billion Indo-Iran gas pipeline to be laid through its soil.
"I hope that now when the talks are set to begin with India, the project would definitely be on agenda," Petroleum Minister Naurez Shakoor told reporters in Islamabad.
Shakoor admitted that India has reservations about the security of the proposed 2,500-km pipeline from Iran, but said Pakistan expects New Delhi to take a second look at it 'now that the situation is improving.'
Pakistan also plans to push India strongly to join the feasibility work for the Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan pipeline project.
Urging India to consider the project, Shakoor said: "Pakistan has no objection to expand the pipeline upto India."
He said feasibility of TAP project is expected to be completed by September this year and petroleum ministers of the three countries will be meeting in Ashkabad in mid-June to discuss the progress on the project.
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