Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, April 5 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Afghan minister of mines Wahidullah Shahrani stressed at a meeting in Ashgabat that there is considerable international resonance and interest of many countries and companies willing to participate in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) project implementation, the Turkmen government said today.
'The interaction in the strategic fuel energy sector and especially the practical implementation of the largest transnational Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline construction project initiated by Turkmen side was also discussed', the message said.
It was stressed that this large scale project has, even at this stage of development brought about great resonance and interest from many foreign countries and companies that have expressed willingness to participate in its implementation. This would be of special importance for the region.
Both sides exchanged views on the prospects of further expanding inter-state cooperation which has recently reached a new level and dynamics of its development in a number of priority areas, including political, economic, cultural-humanitarian spheres.
The Afghan minister conveyed President Karzai's greetings stressing that the leadership of his country and people are grateful to Turkmenistan for its policy of peace and constructive approach to solving the Afghan problem, reflected in relevant international initiatives aimed at resolving the situation in Afghanistan and its economic revival.
Officially Ashgabat supplies electricity to Afghanistan on a preferential basis and plans to expand cooperation in the transport and cargo sector. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project is considered a key project.
The length of the pipeline may be 1735 kilometres. Under the project, the gas pipeline should stretch from the Turkmen fields to the village of Fazilka in India on the border of Pakistan.
The pipeline's designed capacity is 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year. At this stage the principle of forming an international consortium is under discussion and the project financing issue is being resolved