Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 1
By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:
The Afghan side will take all necessary measures to ensure the safety while laying the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, said a message issued by the Turkmen foreign ministry April 29.
This topic has been discussed at the conference entitled "Importance of the TAPI Project" organized by Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in the Afghan city of Herat this week.
The heads of state institutions, consular missions and international organizations, as well as more than 200 people of the Herat province attended the forum.
Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghan deputy foreign minister, Abdul Qudus Hamidi, the country's deputy minister of mines, Mohammad Asef Rahimi, governor of the country's Herat province, Asef Nang, governor of the country's Farah province and Kamran Alizai, head of the Herat provincial council delivered reports.
It was stressed that the TAPI international project is essential to strengthen the political and social stability in Afghanistan and the countries of the region. In particular, the officials emphasized that thousands of new jobs will be created for the Afghan population as a result of the construction of TAPI gas pipeline.
"Laying of the TAPI gas pipeline will have a positive impact on the stabilization of the internal situation and the restoration of peace in Afghanistan," the statement says.
TAPI's estimated length is 1,735 kilometers.
The pipeline is expected to run from Galkynysh - the largest gas field in Turkmenistan - and go through the Afghan cities of Herat and Kandagar to Fazilka settlement on the Pakistani-Indian border.
The project is being actively promoted by the Asian Development Bank. The Islamic Development Bank is interested in its implementation.