| "Only preliminary discussions have taken place (on the pipeline). We are terribly short of our energy supply and we desperately need new sources of energy. And that is why with Pakistan we have agreed to explore the possibility of the pipeline," he told The Washington Post yesterday when asked about the discussions on building a gas pipeline with Iran. |
| "But I am realistic enough to realise that there are many risks because considering all the uncertainties of the situation there in Iran. I do not know if any international consortium of bankers would probably underwrite this. |
| "But we are in a spate of preliminary negotiations, and the background of this is we desperately need the supply of gas that Iran has," the Prime Minister said. |
| Asked whether India could use its new relationship with the US to help the country on relations with Iran, Singh said: "We are entirely one with the rest of the world, that countries which take solemn international obligations, that they must honour those obligations. |
| "Our interest would be to work with other like-minded countries that a constructive solution can be found for the problems that Iran is expressing, that the world community is expressing about Iran." |
| Singh, however, expressed hope that India could act as a bridge between the US and Iran. "We have strong civilisation links with Iran. Also, I would say Iran is the largest Shia Muslim country in the world. We have the second largest Shia Muslim population in our country. And I do believe (with) that part of our unique history, we can be a bridge," he said. |
| When pointed out that many people in the US were concerned about the proposed Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement because of the issue of nuclear proliferation, Singh said India's peaceful nuclear programme was not built by stealing other people's technology. |
| "We had this dream that it was better to work towards a world free of nuclear weapons and we had this dream of universal nuclear disarmament. |
| "We have been proved wrong and the result is we have seen in our neighbourhood reckless proliferation in disregard of all the international obligations. |
| "But although we have nuclear assets, our programme is totally under civilian control. We are a democracy, there are enough checks and balances in our country, and we have an impeccable record of not contributing in any way to nuclear proliferation," he said. |
| Meanwhile, the Prime Minister arrived in Geneva today en route home after a three-day state visit to the US during which he clinched the deal with Bush lifting all restrictions on supply of nuclear fuel and equipment to India. |
| After a night halt here, the Prime Minister will fly to New Delhi tomorrow. Earlier in Washington, he was given a ceremonial send-off. Singh was presented a guard of honour by contingents of the US army, air force and navy. |
| Singh had described his visit to the US as "great" and expected to receive Bush in India in January. |
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