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Tuesday, 14 October, 2008, 18:40 GMT | more prices >>

Pakistan push for China pipe


Agencies

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf is pushing for the construction of gas and oil pipelines between his country and China in a bid to bolster bilateral ties.

"Pakistan is very much in favour of a pipeline between the Gulf and China through Pakistan, and I have been speaking about this with your leadership," Reuters quoted Musharraf as saying to a gathering of students and academics in Beijing.

China and Pakistan have explored proposals to use Pakistan as a pipeline corridor, bringing oil and gas from the Middle East to China.

Musharraf said today that he had raised the idea, which has been on the tablle for several years, during talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.

He said a proposed gas pipeline between Iran and India through Pakistan could be expanded to include China.

Pakistan's proposals to become a main energy link for China have not moved much beyond vague talks, but Musharraf said they were "very much possible," even with the high-altitude border between the two nations.

"I'm very sure in the future that - as Muslims say, 'Inshallah' - it will happen."

China relies on imported oil for nearly half its needs and is keen to diversify supply routes away from the traffic-choked and easily blockaded Malacca strait.

But Chinese industry sources have said in the past that security concerns in Pakistan make it very unlikely that the pipeline plans would take off.


Monday, 14 April, 2008, 08:39 GMT  | last updated: Monday, 14 April, 2008, 08:41 GMT

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