India's petroleum minister said Saturday a proposed US$7.4 billion (¤6.17 billion) gas pipeline from Iran through Pakistan was a risky proposition and could face financial problems, AP reported. «The Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline is fraught with terrible risks. It will be extremely difficult to put together an international consortium to finance the project,» Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar told reporters. He didn't elaborate. But he said India would continue talks with both Iran and Pakistan on the project. «God willing, we'll succeed,» Dow Jones Newswires quoted Aiyar as saying. Earlier this month, India and Pakistan held talks on financing the 2,775-kilometer (1,735-mile) pipeline, pricing and sharing the gas, and security. Both sides are scheduled to meet again next month to discuss a framework agreement on the project.
