India's Petroleum Secretary M.S. Srinivasan said here Wednesday: "We consider this an important event as Pakistan has decided to come to the table so soon after Petroleum Minister Murli Deora has taken office. "There is eagerness on both sides to have this world class project," Srinivasan told reporters, referring to the Iran pipeline project. While progress has been made in talks at the bilateral level between India, Pakistan and Iran, as well as during trilateral talks on technical issues, some key issues on pricing of gas and the project structure still remain to be resolved, said Srinivasan. Srinivasan said India would again broach the possible export of about 100,000 to 120,000 tons of diesel to Pakistan as some progress had been made in initial talks. With regard to the pipeline project, among the many alternatives being considered is whether India should participate in it as a partner of a consortium or whether all the three countries should build sections of the pipeline within their own territories. "We will be picking up the thread of talks and carry forward discussions on the Iran pipeline project," Srinivasan said. "Once these two issues are cracked we will be half way through the project planning as it will help in financial closure and the rest will fall in place." A consensual decision will help India's petroleum ministry seek cabinet approval for moving ahead with the multibillion-dollar project that will help bridge the shortfall in India's gas supplies. Jadoon's visit will mark the first ministerial interaction from overseas for Deora since taking charge last month. Jadoon last visited India in November 2004 as part of a delegation led by Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. In June 2005, India's former petroleum minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, during a visit to Pakistan, extended an invitation that did not materialize in the aftermath of the Oct 8, 2005 earthquake in Kashmir. "The Pakistan minister will hold officials talks with Deora on Friday and is expected to call on the prime minister on Saturday prior to a visit to Agra and Ajmer Sharif," an official said. Accompanied by his wife and an 11-member delegation, Jadoon will reach New Delhi after the ninth steering committee meeting of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan project. India also attended the three-day meeting that concluded Wednesday at Turkmenistan capital Ashgabat, with Minister of State for Petroleum Dinsha Patel leading the official delegation. While talks on the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project have been making progress notwithstanding the pressure from the US to abandon it, India is keen to join Pakistan to source additional gas supplies from Central Asia through various project. At the bilateral level, India is yet to get Pakistan's agreement on the transit fee for the Iran project. Officials admitted that resolving the many pending issues may delay the trilateral ministerial-level talks and an agreement that were envisaged for March. PIN/NEW KERALA