Senior Pakistani and Indian officials said on Tuesday that there was no pressure on the multi- billion Iran gas pipeline project and that both countries urgently needed energy due to their fast growing economies.

"Our president and prime minister have mentioned on a number of occasions that we are viewing this project keeping in view our national interests. Our economy is growing and to sustain 6 to 8 percent growth rate foreseen over the year, we need energy and Iran is one of the sources of energy," Pakistani Petroleum Secretary Ahmed Waqar told a news conference along with his Indian and Iranian counterparts.

"Any decision has to be taken in the national interests," he said.

Indian Secretary of Petroleum M.S. Srinivasan also rejected the notion of any pressure on the project and said India needed energy.

"We consider this project is necessary and important to us in order to meet our growing energy needs. Our requirements and our national interests will determine the project," Srinivasan told the press conference.

The three officials were attending a trilateral meeting about the 7.1 billion U.S. dollars and 2,670 km project.

The meeting of trilateral Joint Working Group of Iran-Pakistan- India (IPI) gas pipeline project decided to continue discussion on gas pricing while the three sides agreed that Iran would deliver the gas at Pakistan-Iran border to Pakistan and at Pakistan-India border to India.

Waqar said that the talks were held in a friendly atmosphere and that they had a frank and productive discussion on a number of technical, financial, legal and commercial issues.

He said that project structure and gas pricing were figured prominently at the meeting.

On gas pricing, he said it was agreed that gas pricing mechanism required more deliberations and expressed the hope that agreement would be reached on the issue in the next trilateral meeting which would be held in Indian in July this year.

In addition, he said, it was agreed that a project coordinator would be appointed.

He said his role would be to oversee implementation of the project.

He added that they were also pursuing Turkmenistan-Pakistan- India gas pipeline project.

Waqar led the Pakistan delegation at the two days of talks which concluded in Islamabad Tuesday.

The Iranian delegation was led by Deputy Oil Minister M.H. Nejad Hussainian, while the Indian delegation was led by Secretary of Petroleum M.S. Srinivasan.

Source: Xinhua