Pakistan FM says funding not issue for Iran gas pipeline

Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, said on Wednesday that funding for Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline is not a major issue and it would continue the project to meet energy demand.
The Foreign Minister Khar reiterated that alternate sources are available to arrange finances for the multi-billion project.
The foreign minister was addressing a joint press conference with her Swedish counterpart Carl Bildt at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
”If India and China do not go through the project, Pakistan would pursue it alone as this is a completely viable project”, she said.
She said that Pakistan is facing energy crisis and would do every thing what it think in its interest without taking external pressure.
Khar condemned the killing of 16 Afghan citizens at the hands of an American soldier, while the Swedish minister expressed grief over the incident.
On a query, Khar said that Pakistan has clear direction to enhance relationship with the U.S. which is at its lowest level after Osama bib Laden operation in May and the U.S. raid on Pakistani posts in November, to be based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
“The Pakistani nation, its Parliament and other stakeholders have consensus that ties with the US, NATO, ISAF and EU must be build on mutual interest and mutual respect to make them more meaningful, more reliable and long lasting,” she added.
On Afghanistan, she said Pakistan wants a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan which would not only in favor of Pakistan but for the rest of world.
“Pakistan favors Afghan-owned, Afghan-led peace process in its neighborhood and would support the negotiations to engage all stakeholders to bring in main stream,” Khar said.
She said Pakistan and Sweden enjoy good bilateral relation and this visit of Swedish foreign minister would further boost the ties between two counties.
Khar said the volume of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Sweden is currently at $450 million and both countries decided to double in by the end of 2014. She also thanked Sweden for helping Pakistan to get access to EU markets.
Swedish foreign minter Carl Bildt on occasion said that he has positive conversation with Pakistani counterpart and his country wanted to enhance its ties with Islamabad.
On a query he said time frame for withdraw of foreign troops from Afghanistan could not be given and it all depend on ground situation.
“We have extended cooperation to Afghanistan and our forces are working on province to province strategy, ISAF is training Afghan National Army and we cannot say when it would be able to takeover their own security, it can be in 2014 or may be 2018,” the Swedish Minister added. (KMW NEWS)