Russia: On a path of antagonizing both friend and foe alike

[bendog]

Perhaps Pakistan could put a leash on their dogs.........The Taliban....................not to mention firing at India all the time on the border.............Because they are Buddist..........the shame.....................

Why don't we put a leash on ours?

The only reason they tolerate the Taliban, is because of our presence in the area.

Oh, we were interfering with Pak before 9-11?

 

[Billo_Really]

Oh, we were interfering with Pak before 9-11?

9 months before 9/11, we wanted to give the Taliban millions of aid dollars for their schools. Then they said no to our pipeline offer.

5 weeks before 9/11, we told the Taliban that if they don't accept our carpet of gold, we will bury them under a carpet of bombs.

 

[Vikrant]

Oh, we were interfering with Pak before 9-11?

9 months before 9/11, we wanted to give the Taliban millions of aid dollars for their schools. Then they said no to our pipeline offer.

5 weeks before 9/11, we told the Taliban that if they don't accept our carpet of gold, we will bury them under a carpet of bombs.

That is hard to believe because as early as Clinton administration, considerable tension between the U.S. and Pakistan began to form over Osama Bin Laden's presence in Afghanistan because Afghanistan in those days was controlled by Pakistani proxy Taliban. U.S. under Clinton administration was quite frustrated with Pakistan because Pakistanis were neutralizing U.S. efforts to hit Osama Bin Laden using standoff weapons. There were elements in Pakistan that were leaking U.S. plans to Al Quida right before the strikes. This era is very important from the perspective of U.S. - Pakistan relations. As it was around this time when U.S. started to withhold financial aid to Pakistan. Financial aid to Pakistan started again when Bush Junior came into the office. This stopped again when Obama took over the office.

 

[Vikrant]

I did not want to start a separate thread. So I am sticking it in here.

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Pakistan, Russia sign 1,100km gas pipeline agreement

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia today signed a major agreement to build a 1,100-kilometre gas pipeline from Lahore to Karachi at an estimated cost of $2 billion, a collaboration that is expected to take ties between the two Cold War-era adversaries "to a new level".

Russia will invest $2 billion in the project, the first phase of which is expected to conclude by December 2017 with the completion in 2018.

The 1,100-kilometre pipeline with a capacity of 12.4 billion cubic metre per annum will connect Karachi's liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals with those in Lahore, the Radio Pakistan reported.

The project will be implemented in compliance with BOOT model (Build Own Operate Transfer). The pipeline will be owned and operated by the manufacturer for 25 years. After that the pipeline will be handed over to the Pakistan government.

The North-South gas pipeline project would be built by Russian company RT Global Resources, a part of Russian state corporation Rostec.

The project will take cooperation between Russia and Pakistan "to a new level", Russian energy minister Alexander Novak said in a statement.

Sharif, who witnessed the agreement signing by Pakistan petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Russian energy minister Novak, later said the growing cooperation between Pakistan and Russia would help a great deal in fulfilling Pakistan's energy requirements.

Sharif made the remarks while meeting the Russian delegation led by Novak who called on the prime minister at his house here.

This is the first such visit by a Russian energy minister to Pakistan in three decades, the prime minister's office said in a statement highlighting the growing bilateral ties between the two countries.

Both sides reviewed the overall state of bilateral energy cooperation between the two countries, the possibility of greater Russian investment in Pakistan's oil and gas sector and exchanged views on the north-south gas pipeline which would mark a new milestone in the bilateral energy cooperation between both countries, the statement said.

The Russian energy minister expressed hope and satisfaction that his visit would pave the way for intensive energy cooperation between both the countries.

Pakistan and Russia are deepening cooperation in various sectors as ties have been on an upward trajectory for the past few years.

Pakistan, Russia sign 1,100km gas pipeline agreement - The Times of India