OREANDA-NEWS. May 30, 2008. The technical expert groups of the countries collaborating in the TAP Pipeline Project held the first meeting in Ashkhabad.

The deputy ministers of oil and gas industry from Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the top managers of Indian GAIL Company and the representatives of the Asian Development Banks (ADB) that financed the large-scale regional project participated in the meeting, which had been agreed on at the 10th meeting of the TAP Pipeline Project Steering Committee in Islamabad last month.

According to the Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry and Mineral Resources of Turkmenistan, the partners continued negotiating a number of the issues, in particular the gas prices. Focusing on the great demand for Turkmen natural gas and the propriety of Turkmenistan’s statements as the source country the participants were unanimous that the gas price should conform to the current of the world energy market. Standing steadfast in its intent to sell ‘blue fuel’ on the border Turkmenistan had introduced the amendments to the draft Framework Agreement, which would be submitted for consideration of the countries collaborating in the transnational gas pipeline project.