Washington, September 30
The USA today said the civil-nuclear energy cooperation deal signed with India recently was part of its effort to wean away the country from its plan to have gas pipeline from Iran through Pakistan.
Under a Congressional law, the USA has to oppose Investment in oil and gas industry in Iran by any
country, hence the opposition to the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas Pipeline, a highly-placed US State Department official told to a group of visiting South Asian journalist here.
“For this very reason, we want Pakistan to think of other alternative sources of gas. But, if we want this we will have to take care of energy needs of these countries and think of ways to help them,’’ he said, adding that it was for this reason that the USA signed the civil-nuclear energy agreement with India during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Washington in July.
“We will be helping Pakistan too in meeting its energy needs and we are seriously exploring the possibilities,’’ he said.
Answering to a question, the official said it was wrong to say that US-Pakistan relations were passing through a cold phase. “We are trying to achieve a broad based relationship with Pakistan as with India.
The official said the USA was working on a bilateral treaty with Pakistan that would ensure investor’s right for arbitration under an international forum. The USA was also working on concluding a bilateral treaty for cooperation in economic and social field.
The official said the South Asian region was of great importance for the USA. There was a great market for Pakistani exports to the USA The level of US investments in Pakistan was very low and needed to be increased.
— UNI
