Episode du 19/02
19 FEB, 2011, 01.15AM IST,ET BUREAU
National Interest More Important than Cairn deal: Jaipal
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Read more on »s jaipal reddy|oil and natural gas corporation ltd.|david cameron|bill gammell
NEW DELHI: India will not give up its national interest to facilitate the $9.6-billion Cairn-Vedanta deal but will try to take a decision as quickly as possible, Oil Minister S Jaipal Reddy said while the British explorer expressed confidence that things would move forward.
The minister said British Prime Minister David Cameron had written to his Indian counterpart on several issues, including “early clearance” of the deal, but Reddy shrugged off its significance. “Such pressures are normal but we have to address our concerns,” he told reporters on Friday after a meeting with Cairn Chief Executive Bill Gammell who has been a regular visitor to New Delhi since the deal was announced in August.
“Cairn representatives (including Gammell) expressed concerns about uncertainty and delay regarding clearing Cairn-Vedanta deal. I told him (Gammell) that as quickly as possible the matter would be taken to the cabinet,” Reddy said, adding the cabinet would take a decision in three weeks.
Gammell said he was confident the matter can be resolved. “I am confident that things will move forward to the satisfaction of all parties,” he said.
A Cairn spokesman said: “Discussions today (Friday) were positive and constructive and we continue to work with the government of India to secure the necessary consents in order to complete the transaction by April 15, 2011.”
The deal has had a roller-coaster ride for about six months, largely because of a tussle between Cairn and ONGC, which has a 30% interest in the Rajasthan block, over royalty costs. ONGC says the production-sharing contract for the Rajasthan block, unlike some other contracts, clearly says that royalty paid by the state-run explorer can be recovered form the sale of crude oil before profits are booked. Cairn disagrees.
Reddy said the ministry supported ONGC’s position on the dispute. “There are issues relating to royalty and cess. We cannot sacrifice our position completely just to facilitate the deal,” he said.
After meeting the minister, Gammell said Cairn had no plans to go back to its shareholders for extending the April 15 deadline to conclude the transaction. “Only deadline is April 15 ... We will continue to deliberate with the government,” he said.
Reddy said it was “not easy to follow such a tight schedule”. He said while India’s image as investor-friendly country has to be protected, Cairn should ‘accommodate’ the three weeks time that cabinet will take to decide.