Bangladesh to revive India-Bangladesh-Myanmar gas pipeline talks
06 Mar 2007
Mumbai:
Bangladesh has warmed up to the idea of a tri-nation
gas pipeline from Myanmar to India through its territory,
giving up its preconditions, which had earlier derailed
the negotiations.
Bangladesh now wants to resume the stalled talks with
New Delhi on a gas pipeline from Myanmar to India. With
Bangladesh earlier having adopted an intransigent stance,
the Indian government deciding to pipe the gas in to
the country through the North Eastern region.
"Definitely the tri-national pipeline issue will
come up for discussion," power and energy adviser
in the caretaker government Tapan Chowdhury said before
leaving for Delhi to attend SAARC energy ministers'
meeting.
The minister said he would raise the pipeline issue
with his Indian counterpart. "There will be no
conditions tagged with the pipeline. If it is beneficial
for us economically we will move forward," he added.
Talks between the two countries on the proposed gas
pipeline have remained stalled for over a year after
New Delhi refused to accept three pre conditions Bangladesh
had sought to impose.
The Khaleda Zia government in Bangladesh wanted India
provide a hydro-electricity corridor from Nepal and
Bhutan and transit facilities for its trade with the
two Himalayan countries. Bangladesh also wanted India
to reduce the trade gap before talks on the gas pipeline
project can proceed.
While Dhaka would take the opportunity to place a formal
proposal for importing "surplus" electricity
from Nepal and Bhutan through India at the SAARC energy
ministers meeting on March 7, Choudhary said this should
not be tagged with the pipeline proposal.
.
Chowdhury
said he would deal with these issues individually. "Those
issues (conditions) are separate issues and they should
not be tagged with the pipeline. We will discuss those
issues on a priority basis."