ID :
131631
Tue, 07/06/2010 - 16:23
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http://m.oananews.org//node/131631
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Iran greatly crucial for India's energy security: Rao
New Delhi, July 6, IRNA -- India has expressed concern over certain unilateral sanctions recently imposed by some countries on Iran saying that it can have adverse impact on India's energy security.
“Extra territorial nature of the sanctions with their restrictions on investment by third countries in Iran's energy sector can have direct and adverse impact on Indian companies and India's energy security”, said Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao Monday in New Delhi while speaking on India-Iran relations.
Reiterating India's position on Iran Nuclear issue, Rao said New Delhi has conveyed to all interlocutors the need for adopting a flexible approach for a comprehensive solution to the issue. She said that Iran is extremely important for India for its energy security.
She said that if Iran-Pakistan-India, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan India and the SAGE undersea pipeline projects are realised, they have a potential of making Iran an important element of a large energy corridor stretching from Central Asia to India.
Rao also cautioned against forces of obscurantism and extremism becoming arbiters of the fate of Afghan people saying that this could have an impact on India, Iran and the region. She said said both India and Iran do not want the prospect of fundamentalist and extremist groups, forcing Afghanistan to become once again a sanctuary and training ground for terrorists.
Describing the relations with Iran as most important for regional stability, the Foreign Secretary, Nirupama Rao said that both support the efforts of the Kabul government to build a democratic, pluralistic and peaceful Afghanistan.
She said that being the neighbours of Afghanitan and Pakistan, India and Iran have suffered from the threat of cross-national terrorism emanating from beyond their borders. She said that cooperation and information sharing on counter terrorism should be the focus and attention for the future and there is a need to move beyond mere articulation of positions.
India imports 18 million tonnes of oil from Iran out of a total of 140 million tonnes annually. According to sources, India's investment in Iran's energy sector is around $ 100 million./end
“Extra territorial nature of the sanctions with their restrictions on investment by third countries in Iran's energy sector can have direct and adverse impact on Indian companies and India's energy security”, said Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao Monday in New Delhi while speaking on India-Iran relations.
Reiterating India's position on Iran Nuclear issue, Rao said New Delhi has conveyed to all interlocutors the need for adopting a flexible approach for a comprehensive solution to the issue. She said that Iran is extremely important for India for its energy security.
She said that if Iran-Pakistan-India, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan India and the SAGE undersea pipeline projects are realised, they have a potential of making Iran an important element of a large energy corridor stretching from Central Asia to India.
Rao also cautioned against forces of obscurantism and extremism becoming arbiters of the fate of Afghan people saying that this could have an impact on India, Iran and the region. She said said both India and Iran do not want the prospect of fundamentalist and extremist groups, forcing Afghanistan to become once again a sanctuary and training ground for terrorists.
Describing the relations with Iran as most important for regional stability, the Foreign Secretary, Nirupama Rao said that both support the efforts of the Kabul government to build a democratic, pluralistic and peaceful Afghanistan.
She said that being the neighbours of Afghanitan and Pakistan, India and Iran have suffered from the threat of cross-national terrorism emanating from beyond their borders. She said that cooperation and information sharing on counter terrorism should be the focus and attention for the future and there is a need to move beyond mere articulation of positions.
India imports 18 million tonnes of oil from Iran out of a total of 140 million tonnes annually. According to sources, India's investment in Iran's energy sector is around $ 100 million./end
