SHANGHAI. June 16 (Interfax) - Russia's gas giant Gazprom is prepared to contribute financing and technology to the construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to Pakistan and India, Russian President Vladimir Putin told journalists in Shanghai on Thursday.
"Such a project would be quite profitable and realistic," Putin said, adding that Turkmenistan also supported the program.
Putin categorically denied claims that a gas joint venture with Iran will amount to an OPEC-style entity.
"OPEC is a cartel, while we will establish a joint venture. It will help coordinate our efforts on third countries' markets and allow us to consolidate deposits located on the territory of the two countries," the president said.
So far, a gas joint venture with Iran is "just an idea. Its mechanism is yet to be devised," he said.