OREANDA-NEWS. April 13, 2007. Russia's energy giant Gazprom said Thursday it has proposed drafting a general plan for the development of the Pakistani natural gas industry.

"This scheme could help optimize methods of gas production and deliveries," Gazprom Deputy Board Chairman Alexander Ananenkov said at a meeting between Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and Pakistani business circles.

Fradkov's current visit to Pakistan is the second by a Russian prime minister since 1969.

Ananenkov said demand by Pakistan for natural gas will continue to grow, and may reach 44 billion cubic meters by 2010 - a 1.5 fold increase on the current 30 billion cu m.  

He also said Pakistan is to submit a feasibility study for the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project so that experts at Gazprom can decide whether the Russian gas giant should participate.

Earlier Thursday, Fradkov held talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Shaukat Aziz, in the capital Islamabad. The two prime ministers oversaw the signing of agreements on cooperation in narcotics control and on cultural ties.

They also agreed to finalize a mutual investment treaty and to boost trade, currently worth about $520 million. Aziz invited Russian companies to invest in oil, gas and mineral exploration in Pakistan.

Cooperation in the fight against international terrorism was also on the agenda of the talks.

Fradkov is due to meet with President Pervez Musharraf on Friday.