LAHORE, Nov 25: US Ambassador Cameron Munter has said the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project is not a good idea and that a pipeline from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan is a better option.

Speaking at the Mega Education Fair 2011 organised by the Lahore University of Management Sciences’ Career Services Office on Friday, he said: “We do not favour the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project but consider the Turkmenistan pipeline via Afghanistan as a better project.”

He said the US had supported a second silk route linking Central Asian states with the subcontinent and Pakistan should focus on regional partnership based on bilateral ties.

Mr Munter said the US assistance in the energy sector did not mean adding megawatts to the grid as reforms were needed badly in the sector. “We are looking for a long-term business and private partnership.”

The ambassador said the US supported tripartite negotiations with Pakistan and Afghanistan and “we look forward to the ministerial-level talks to be held in Bonn”.

Answering a question about the alleged dictation to Pakistan by the US officials, he said: “When Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said he didn’t want American trainers, we sent them back home.”

He said the US had given $10 million to the university in 1987 and $15 million would be given over the next five years for the development of departments and infrastructure on its campus.

Mr Munter said the US wanted a strong Pakistan and stressed the role of both countries in ensuring a stable, democratic and prosperous region. “Pakistan’s success is America’s success,” he said.

The US ambassador said Pakistani students must take up a leadership role to help Pakistan become stable, democratic and prosperous. He emphasised the themes of leadership, partnership and solidarity.

Talking to media persons, Mr Munter said he had met PTI chairman Imran Khan and COAS Kayani several times, but separately. He said he had never met Pakistani military and political leadership jointly.

He said the United States had seriously taken up the memo issue and resignation of Hussain Haqqani as ambassador and would be ready to offer any help to the government. “It is for the government of Pakistan to nominate an ambassador to the US whether it is Sherry Rehman or anybody else,” he said.

Mr Munter said Pakistan enjoyed excellent relations with the US and China and it should have good relations with other countries of the region.

He admitted that the US had committed a mistake in the past and taken a hasty decision of changing the Afghan policy due to which it had suffered.

He said Pakistan and the US were jointly fighting a war against those who were attacking shrines, soldiers and innocent people.