Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Oct.26
By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:
The 23rd meeting of the steering committee on the project for constructing the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline has been held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, said the message from the country's Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources.
The shareholder and investment agreements were signed following this meeting.
"Today, the TAPI gas pipeline project is at the crucial stage," said the ministry.
Turkmenistan for its part expressed readiness to sign the agreements and intends to start the construction of the pipeline in December 2015, according to the message.
During the meeting, the sides expressed their opinion on the project and unanimously approved the signing of the agreements, said the ministry.
The basic document for the TAPI project is the Ashgabat interstate agreement on launching the practical implementation of this project signed between the participating countries in 2010. The annual pumping capacity of the gas pipeline will be 33 billion cubic meters.
The gas pipeline's total length will be 1,735 kilometers; some 200 kilometers will run through Turkmenistan, 735 kilometers -Afghanistan, 800 kilometers - Pakistan to the Fazilka settlement on the border with India.
The cost of the TAPI project is up to $10 billion.
Edited by SI