Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, May 15 / Trend, H. Hasanov /
The President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed the regional administration of the Lebap Velayat (region) with a number of instructions for the construction of the Atamyrat-Ymamnazar railway, the Turkmen government said on Wednesday.
According to the report, it is expected that construction will be carried out by the Ministry of Railway Transport. The project complies with the agreement reached in May 2011 during the official visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to Turkmenistan.
In May 2011, an intergovernmental framework agreement was signed on the construction of the 85-kilometer railway line Atamyrat-Ymamnazar (Turkmenistan) and the 38-kilometer line between Akina and Andhoi in Afghanistan.
About a month ago, Afghanistan proposed the construction of a railway line in Afghanistan on the Imamnazar-Akina route to Turkey. The relevant negotiations were held in Ashgabat with participation of the authorized representatives of the two countries.
"Representatives of the Afghan delegation suggested the participation of Turkmen specialists in the development of a feasibility study and construction of the Imamnazar-Akina railway line in Afghanistan," the statement said.
According to experts, the implementation of joint infrastructure projects may serve as a positive for Afghan development efforts, the successful solution of important social issues, including those related to employment, the attraction of investment and stabilization of the situation in the country as a whole.
In early 2013, the Turkmen capital hosted an international working meeting to promote the development of Afghanistan with the participation of neighboring countries, international organizations and potential donors. Ashgabat previously announced a number of initiatives for the socio-economic recovery of the neighboring country that have been positively assessed by the UN and the OSCE.