Port Blair: Government is likely to debar certain countries from bidding for some oil and gas blocks to be offered in the fourth round of New Exploration and Licensing Policy (NELP), to be announced in the first week of May.

"We are going with the Defence Ministry (on security considerations of oil and gas blocks). Defence consideration is utmost in our mind while going for exploration," Petroleum Minister Ram Naik told reporters.

The Defence Ministry is believed to have suggested that companies from China, Pakistan, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and the entire Arab world be kept out of the bidding process for the two oil and gas blocks to be offered in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands due to security concerns.

Refusing to elaborate on the security concerns raised by the Defence Ministry, Naik said he would hold another round of discussions with Defence Minister George Fernandes towards the end of this month where modalities on the blocks to be offered would be worked out.

Incidentally, Fernandes is currently on a week long tour of China for boosting ties and is expected to return on April 27. Petroleum Ministry officials said the entire list of countries suggested by the Defence Ministry may not be barred from NELP-IV bidding.

"We understand a few countries, may be three or four may not be allowed," they said without naming the countries.

PTI