18 November 2016, 17:05 GMT
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia is not holding secret negotiations with Pakistan within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) land trade project, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.
"Reports appearing in Pakistani media about 'secret negotiations' between Russia and Pakistan on the implementation of projects within the framework created by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are untrue," the ministry said.
Moscow's trade cooperation with Islamabad holds independent value, including through the expected construction of the North-South gas pipeline, the Russian ministry added. The 683-mile Karachi-to-Lahore pipeline, expected to cost some $2 billion, is projected to have an annual capacity of up to 12.4 billion cubic meters of gas.
