Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ISLAMABAD508
2008-02-05 01:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
MEDIA REPORTS FURTHER TALKS ON IRAN PIPELINE DEAL BUT NO
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UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000508
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ECON EINV PREL PK
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORTS FURTHER TALKS ON IRAN PIPELINE DEAL BUT NO
TRAVEL PLANS FOR PAKISTANI DELEGATION
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000508
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ECON EINV PREL PK
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORTS FURTHER TALKS ON IRAN PIPELINE DEAL BUT NO
TRAVEL PLANS FOR PAKISTANI DELEGATION
1. (SBU) Summary: Local Pakistani media reports that further talks
on the Iranian pipeline deal will occur February 14-16 in Tehran. As
of February 4, government officials in Pakistan do not have travel
plans to attend such meetings. End Summary.
2. (U) Local Pakistani media picked up the Iranian press reports
over the weekend claiming that the petroleum ministers from India
and Pakistan will travel to Tehran for further talks on the Iranian
pipeline deal. According to the local reports, the February 14-16
meeting was "confirmed" by Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein
Nozari at a news conference on February 1, 2008.
3. (SBU) Due the continued reluctance of the Government of Pakistan
(GOP) officials to discuss the Iran pipeline deal with Embassy
officials, ECON was unable to confirm Pakistani participation with
any of the principals directly. However, ECON did contact the
schedulers for each of the GOP negotiators who confirmed that travel
plans have not been made.
4. (SBU) Personal secretary to the Caretaker Minister for Petroleum
and Oil told Econoff that no travel to Iran is planned over the
reported February 14-16 timeframe for the Caretaker Minister, Ahsan
Ullah Khan. The GOP Deputy negotiator for the pipeline deal is the
Secretary for Water and Power, Mr. Ismial Qurashi, who does not have
SIPDIS
any travel plans according, to his personal secretary. Furthermore,
the personal secretary for the Secretary of Petroleum, Mr. Farrukh
Qayyum, noted that, "as of today, there are no travel plans made for
Tehran."
5. (SBU) Comment: Embassy will continue to monitor the local media
and other sources for any information related to the Iran pipeline
deal. As the deal edges toward completion, GOP officials in the
substantive ministries have refused to discuss the pipeline and
other energy issues with the Embassy. We will continue our efforts
to reach out to the substantive ministries to convey our concerns
and to push for alternative energy sources to stem Pakistan's
increasingly severe energy crisis. End Comment.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ECON EINV PREL PK
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORTS FURTHER TALKS ON IRAN PIPELINE DEAL BUT NO
TRAVEL PLANS FOR PAKISTANI DELEGATION
1. (SBU) Summary: Local Pakistani media reports that further talks
on the Iranian pipeline deal will occur February 14-16 in Tehran. As
of February 4, government officials in Pakistan do not have travel
plans to attend such meetings. End Summary.
2. (U) Local Pakistani media picked up the Iranian press reports
over the weekend claiming that the petroleum ministers from India
and Pakistan will travel to Tehran for further talks on the Iranian
pipeline deal. According to the local reports, the February 14-16
meeting was "confirmed" by Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein
Nozari at a news conference on February 1, 2008.
3. (SBU) Due the continued reluctance of the Government of Pakistan
(GOP) officials to discuss the Iran pipeline deal with Embassy
officials, ECON was unable to confirm Pakistani participation with
any of the principals directly. However, ECON did contact the
schedulers for each of the GOP negotiators who confirmed that travel
plans have not been made.
4. (SBU) Personal secretary to the Caretaker Minister for Petroleum
and Oil told Econoff that no travel to Iran is planned over the
reported February 14-16 timeframe for the Caretaker Minister, Ahsan
Ullah Khan. The GOP Deputy negotiator for the pipeline deal is the
Secretary for Water and Power, Mr. Ismial Qurashi, who does not have
SIPDIS
any travel plans according, to his personal secretary. Furthermore,
the personal secretary for the Secretary of Petroleum, Mr. Farrukh
Qayyum, noted that, "as of today, there are no travel plans made for
Tehran."
5. (SBU) Comment: Embassy will continue to monitor the local media
and other sources for any information related to the Iran pipeline
deal. As the deal edges toward completion, GOP officials in the
substantive ministries have refused to discuss the pipeline and
other energy issues with the Embassy. We will continue our efforts
to reach out to the substantive ministries to convey our concerns
and to push for alternative energy sources to stem Pakistan's
increasingly severe energy crisis. End Comment.
PATTERSON