Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 25 / Trend V. Zhavoronkova /
China may prevent the implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, Russian expert on CIS energy Sergey Pravosudov said.
TAPI project participants discussed the formation of an international consortium on its implementation in Ashgabat. Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said today that the construction of this gas pipeline will meet the rapidly growing needs of the Asian energy market.
However, there are still factors that can hinder the construction of a pipeline from Turkmenistan to India, he said.
"People have been talking about the gas pipeline to India for many years, but, unfortunately, few real actions have been taken in this area," Director General of the Russian Institute of National Energy Sergey Pravosudov told Trend today.
He said that China may hinder its implementation.
"The gas pipeline to China was built quickly and gas is being supplied from Turkmenistan to this country," the expert said.
He stressed that Turkmenistan is likely to increase gas supplies to China, however, other projects will be also discussed.
As opposed to other potential buyers of Turkmen gas, China has allocated a loan for the construction of the gas pipeline. It is also involved in the gas extraction in Turkmenistan, he said.
"China is not interested in other countries' claim to Turkmen gas, so it can make every effort for other Turkmen gas projects not to be implemented," he said.
TAPI implementation may also prevent the security in Afghanistan, as it is unclear what will happen in this country after NATO representatives leave it in 2014, he added.
"China is trying to strengthen its position in Afghanistan, and if it succeeds, it may prevent the TAPI implementation," he said.
The basic document for promoting TAPI is the intergovernmental agreement signed by participating countries in Ashgabat in late 2010 to start implementing the project.
Turkmenistan signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the TAPI project with Afghanistan in May 2012.
Important agreements on TAPI were signed for the purchase and sale of Turkmen gas with the State Gas Systems of Pakistan and Indian GAIL Ltd.
The project cost is estimated at $7.6 billion as of 2008. Bangladesh expressed its interest in the project.