Russia eyes IPI pipeline

NEW YORK, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Russian energy giant Gazprom said it may be interested in joining development of the $7.5 billion Iran-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on the sidelines of the 63rd annual U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York that Moscow was interested in forming bilateral ties in the energy sector with Islamabad during talks with Pakistani officials, Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency reported Friday.

"These (talks) included energy, communications, gas pipeline projects, steel production and provision of defense equipment to Pakistan," Lavrov said.

On Wednesday Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari at the U.N. meeting agreed to create a joint company to create revenue for the pipeline project.

Iran and Pakistan are faced with an energy shortage, making IPI an attractive option despite pressure from Washington over dealing with Iran.

Pakistani Information Minister Sherry Rehman said Islamabad and Tehran had agreed to establish two bilateral committees to examine further details of the pipeline.

"The two sides made good progress," she said.