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Iranian president in India talks | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has met Indian leaders on a stopover at the end of his tour of South Asia. | |
The two sides were due to discuss a long-delayed $7.5bn pipeline plan to transport gas to Pakistan and India. | |
The 2,600-km (1,620-mile) pipeline is seen as crucial for energy-hungry India. Pakistan says it has cleared the way with Iran to finalise an agreement. | |
Analysts say the deal could contribute to security as Iran, Pakistan and India benefit more by mutual co-operation. | |
Hold-ups | Hold-ups |
Mr Ahmadinejad is on a whirlwind tour of South Asia - he has already visited Pakistan and Sri Lanka since Monday. | Mr Ahmadinejad is on a whirlwind tour of South Asia - he has already visited Pakistan and Sri Lanka since Monday. |
Mr Ahmadinejad is spending just a few hours in India | Mr Ahmadinejad is spending just a few hours in India |
He met Indian PM Manmohan Singh during his five-hour visit to the Indian capital, Delhi. | |
"Energy issues are on the agenda for talks," a ministry official was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying earlier in the day. | |
The gas pipeline would cross Pakistan to reach India and is expected to earn Pakistan millions of dollars in transit fees. | The gas pipeline would cross Pakistan to reach India and is expected to earn Pakistan millions of dollars in transit fees. |
It has been held up by disputes over how much those fees would be and security-related issues. | It has been held up by disputes over how much those fees would be and security-related issues. |
The United States accuses Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons and has opposed the pipeline project as it feels it will weaken its efforts to isolate Tehran. | The United States accuses Iran of trying to build nuclear weapons and has opposed the pipeline project as it feels it will weaken its efforts to isolate Tehran. |
India recently rebuffed a call by the United States for it to ask Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment programme. | India recently rebuffed a call by the United States for it to ask Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment programme. |
It said relations between the two spanned centuries, and they were capable of handling them with due care. | It said relations between the two spanned centuries, and they were capable of handling them with due care. |