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US warns Pak over Iran gas deal
ISLAMABAD: The US warned Pakistan that a recently signed gas pipeline deal with Iran could run afoul of new sanctions being finalized in Congress, the US special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan said on Sunday.
Richard Holbrooke delivered the message during a visit to Pakistan, his first since Iran inked a contract earlier this month to export 21.5 million cubic meters of gas per day to Pakistan beginning in 2014. We cautioned the Pakistanis to try to see what the (Congressional) legislation is before deciding how to proceed because it would be a disaster if we had a situation develop where an agreement was reached which then triggered something under the law, said Holbrooke.
The US has discouraged countries from doing business with Iran because of its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that can produce fuel for a nuclear weapon. Washington has worked with the UN to levy four sets of sanctions against Iran and has also targeted companies and individuals helping Iran develop atomic and missile programs.
The US Congress is currently finalizing a new set of sanctions largely aimed at Irans petroleum industry. Both houses have passed versions of sanctions and are working to reconcile their differences. While US officials have expressed opposition to the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline deal, the issue is complicated by Washingtons reliance on Pakistans cooperation to fight al-Qaida and the Taliban.
The US also acknowledges that Pakistan faces a severe energy crisis and has made aid to the energy sector one of its top development priorities. Electricity shortages in Pakistan cause rolling blackouts that affect businesses and intensify suffering during the hot summer months. Pakistan has an obvious, major energy problem and we are sympathetic to that, but in regards to a specific project, legislation is being prepared that may apply to the project, he said, referring to the pipeline.
US senator Joseph Lieberman said last week he expects Congress to finish shortly legislation tightening US sanctions on Iran that will include provisions affecting the supply of refined petroleum products to Tehran, and add to sanctions on its financial sector.
US warns Pak over Iran gas deal - Pakistan - World - The Times of India
ISLAMABAD: The US warned Pakistan that a recently signed gas pipeline deal with Iran could run afoul of new sanctions being finalized in Congress, the US special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan said on Sunday.
Richard Holbrooke delivered the message during a visit to Pakistan, his first since Iran inked a contract earlier this month to export 21.5 million cubic meters of gas per day to Pakistan beginning in 2014. We cautioned the Pakistanis to try to see what the (Congressional) legislation is before deciding how to proceed because it would be a disaster if we had a situation develop where an agreement was reached which then triggered something under the law, said Holbrooke.
The US has discouraged countries from doing business with Iran because of its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that can produce fuel for a nuclear weapon. Washington has worked with the UN to levy four sets of sanctions against Iran and has also targeted companies and individuals helping Iran develop atomic and missile programs.
The US Congress is currently finalizing a new set of sanctions largely aimed at Irans petroleum industry. Both houses have passed versions of sanctions and are working to reconcile their differences. While US officials have expressed opposition to the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline deal, the issue is complicated by Washingtons reliance on Pakistans cooperation to fight al-Qaida and the Taliban.
The US also acknowledges that Pakistan faces a severe energy crisis and has made aid to the energy sector one of its top development priorities. Electricity shortages in Pakistan cause rolling blackouts that affect businesses and intensify suffering during the hot summer months. Pakistan has an obvious, major energy problem and we are sympathetic to that, but in regards to a specific project, legislation is being prepared that may apply to the project, he said, referring to the pipeline.
US senator Joseph Lieberman said last week he expects Congress to finish shortly legislation tightening US sanctions on Iran that will include provisions affecting the supply of refined petroleum products to Tehran, and add to sanctions on its financial sector.
US warns Pak over Iran gas deal - Pakistan - World - The Times of India
so well you can change believing with every statement of US of A
