Myanmar Energy Minister Lun Thi goes to New Delhi to explore an alternative route in case Bangladesh does not join the $ 1billion project.

"We have informed Bangladesh about the proposed talks between India and Myanmar on Wednesday, and through the Bangladesh high commissioner forwarded an invitation to send an envoy to the talks," Indian Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar told reporters at a teleconference from Romania on Monday.

In case the Bangladesh envoy arrives, "We will change the schedule into a trilateral talks or we will have bilateral talks with Myanmar," said Aiyar.

Advisor to the energy ministry Mahmudur Rahman told reporters that Indian High Commissioner Veena Sikri met him yesterday and inquired about Bangladesh's participation in the meeting.

Rahman told Sikri, "Time is too short for attending tomorrow's meeting in New Delhi." Asked if Bangladesh is excluded from the tri-nation gas pipeline, he said, "If they can do without Bangladesh, let them do."

He said if India and Myanmar can find a better route for the gas pipeline, they will obviously go for that, but "If they feel that the route through Bangladesh will be better option, they will come to us. We're waiting for the outcome of bilateral negotiations between India and Myanmar."

In reply to a question, Rahman said he is waiting for official response from India regarding Bangladesh's three-point proposal seemingly tagged with the tri-nation gas pipeline project.

Bangladesh wants India to first address issues like reduction of trade imbalance, providing corridor for Nepalese goods to Bangladeshi ports and access to hydroelectric potential in Bhutan.

The Myanmar energy minister's visit to New Delhi comes in the wake of no forward movement in the proposal to construct an India-Myanmar gas pipeline through Bangladesh.

According to the original proposal discussed and agreed upon in January, the pipeline was to be routed through Arakan (Rakhine) state in Myanmar and the Indian states of Mizoram and Tripura before crossing Bangladesh to reach Kolkata.