The Pakistan-India Joint Working Group (JWG) on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline project examined in detail various technical, financial, commercial and legal aspects of the project, a joint statement said.

The main points discussed at the two-day meeting ending here on Friday included gas reserve certification and allocation, gas quality, system configuration and project structure. Pipeline routing, delivery points, transportation traffic, transit fee, capital and operating costs and pipeline security were also discussed.

The two sides agreed that the Indian side would provide the Pakistan side drafts of the tripartite agreement, which would be discussed in the next meeting of the JWG.

They also agreed that the next meeting may be held in New Delhi in the second week of November this year and finalization of the Tripartite Framework Agreement by December.

The Pakistani delegation was led by Ahmad Waqar, secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, while the Indian delegation was led by S.C Tripathi, secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

The discussions between the two delegations were conducted in an atmosphere of "mutual understanding" and cooperation with a view to carry forward the momentum of the dialogue to realize the projects at the earliest.

The Pakistani oil minister will visit India next month and his Indian counterpart may visit Pakistan in early December to accelerate the pace of progress pertaining to the IPI and other transnational pipeline projects, according to the statement.

Source: Xinhua