Ahmadinejad to discuss energy exports, mutual cooperation in Islamabad

Speaking to FNA on Tuesday, Iranian Vice-President for International Affairs Ali Saeedlou said that President Ahmadinejad is due to address the D8 summit, to be held on November 22, and hold talks with participating parties during the two day visit to Islamabad.

He added that the Iranian president is also slated to hold a separate meeting with his Pakistan counterpart Asef Ali Zardari in a bid to discuss economic ties and cooperation, supply of Iran\'s gas to Pakistan in particular.

Saeedlou further pointed out that power export to Pakistan will also be on the agenda of the talks between Ahmadinejad and Zardari, adding that the infrastructure needed for exporting 200megawatt of electricity is already in place and the two countries plan to increase export of Iranian power supplies to Pakistan to 1000megawatt.

President Ahmadinejad will visit Pakistan next week mainly to take part in a D8 summit.

Earlier report said, the agreement on Tehran\'s investment in a pipeline project which is due to take Iran\'s rich gas reserves to energy-hungry Pakistan is scheduled to be signed between Tehran and Islamabad during Ahmadinejad\'s visit to Pakistan.

Last week, a delegation of Iranian oil industry experts left for Islamabad to discuss the agreement on the payment of a $250mln loan to Pakistan to fund the project.

In addition to the investment, Iran is also due to build the Pakistani part of the multi-billion-dollar pipeline.

A special team has been set up in the Iranian oil ministry to specify the method of investment and credit line for the pipeline on Pakistan\'s soil.

According to the project proposal, the pipeline will begin from Iran\'s Assalouyeh Energy Zone in the south and stretch over 1,100 km through Iran. In Pakistan, it will pass through Baluchistan and Sindh but officials now say the route may be changed if China agrees to the project.