Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 21
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
Implementation of the Lapis Lazuli transport corridor project (along the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey-Europe route) can play a positive role in the economic development of Afghanistan, Trend reports referring to the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper.
The publication refers to an interview with Afghanistan's Ambassador to Turkmenistan Mirwais Nab, who draws attention to regional infrastructure projects initiated by Turkmenistan.
"... The start of construction of several large projects, such as the Lapis Lazuli transit corridor and the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline are evidence of the significant role of Turkmenistan in economic development, ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan," the diplomat remarked.
According to him, Afghanistan, striving to become the main hub of trade and transit, sees cooperation with other countries of the region and the world as being integral to its national interests.
The Government of Afghanistan is actively cooperating with the countries of the region, particularly with Turkmenistan, in such projects as TAPI, the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan (TAT) railway lines, the 500-kilovolt Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission line, the 500-kilovolt Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TUTAP) power transmission line, the construction on the Afghan territory of the Torghundi, Herat, Chaman highway, the Chabahar-Khovaf-Herat railway line, and also participates in such major regional projects as the CASA-1000 and the Lapis Lazuli transit corridor.
“These projects will form the basis for attracting investment, economic development and regional integration,” Nab emphasized.
In addition, Kabul is convinced that the commissioning of said regional infrastructure projects will turn Afghanistan into a natural hub of trade and transit between Central Asia and South Asia, and will also confirm the fact that economic integration and regional development projects have beneficial results for all countries of the region.