OREANDA-NEWS. The 10th meeting of the Steering Committee of the TAP Project was held in Islamabad on April 20-25. On the instructions of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the delegation led by Minister of Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources of Turkmenistan B. Khojamuhammedov participated in the meeting.

The regular meeting of the oil and gas industry ministers of the participating countries proved the exceptionally high demand in Turkmen natural gas on world energy market and continued the talks started at the previous, 9th meeting of the Steering Committee in Ashgabat in 2007. As is known, India had officially stated its intent to collaborate in the project.

Two main items were put on the agenda of the 10th meeting: drafting the Framework agreement on construction of the transnational gas pipeline and discussing the so-called principal of agreement - the basis of the future contract.

Basing on Turkmenistan’s statements to sell fuel at the border the Turkmen partners introduced the relevant amendments to the draft Framework agreement. The Pakistani and the Indian partners put forward their proposals. The partners agreed to submit the draft agreement to their governments for consideration and further approval.

The discussion of the provisions of the future contract focused on gas prices. The partners agreed that the fuel prices should be formed on the basis on the current state of the world energy market.

The partners agreed to continue the talks to harmonize views at the level of workgroups. The first exert meeting was scheduled for May.

The Indian partner suggested conducting the 11th meeting of the Steering Committee of the TAP Project in Delhi this autumn.