OREANDA-NEWS. September 20, 2010. The 6th meeting of the technical working group of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project was held in Ashgabat. It brought together leading specialists and experts from the four countries participating in this transnational infrastructure project and the Asian Development Bank.

The participants of the two-day meeting discussed in a constructive atmosphere the important issues related to drafting the TAPI Project Framework Agreement, the gas sales contract and other technical and commercial aspects of the project implementation. 
The technical working group conducted the previous, the 5th meeting in Ashgabat in early August. This expert meeting arranged not long after is another evidence of the paramount significance attributed to this project, which is to ensure long-term supplies of natural gas from Turkmenistan to largest countries in Southeast Asia as well as give a powerful impetus to boost national economies, strengthen peace and stability in the region. During the recent government meeting President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that today all countries interested underlined the need to accelerate the implementation of this large-scale transnational project of particular regional and international importance.

This idea was highlighted during this meeting and in the reports of Afghan experts, who said that Afghanistan attached profound significance to the construction of the TAPI gas pipeline and highly evaluated the fact that along with economic benefits this project would bring mutual understanding, stability and firm confidence in the future of the people of Afghanistan and other countries of the Asian region.

The meeting participants unanimously evaluated the great progress made in the past months of the current year in implementing this grandiose project. Managing Director of the Intergovernmental Gas Transportation System of Pakistan Kemal Oscar-az said that “the initiatives and efforts taken by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Turkmenistan has moved the TAPI project from the category of lagging projects to the category of leading ones in the short period of time.”

The working group members said that the active involvement of the Asian Development Bank, which had invited leading international experts in construction of transnational gas pipelines, gas sector development, legal and energy issues to join the discussion, would contribute to their efficient and fruitful work.

Expressing keen interest in accelerating the construction of the TAPI gas pipeline, the experts of the Asian Development Bank underscored the significant importance of this energy project in the global processes of socio-economic development of Southern Asia.

In their turn, the members of the Pakistani and Indian delegations reaffirmed on behalf of the Governments of their countries the commitment to the implementation of the TAPI gas pipeline project, underlined the growing needs for natural gas in Pakistan and India. They noted that Turkmenistan with the huge reserves of natural gas would play an important role in ensuring energy security of these countries. In this regard, emphasis was put on the timeliness of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s international initiatives to build an effective mechanism for reliable and stable energy transit.

The meeting participants expressed belief that the important technical and commercial issues related to various aspects of the accelerated implementation of the TAPI project would by jointly considered, and the appropriate decisions would be adopted.

The decisions adopted during the expert meeting will be presented during the 11th meeting of the Steering Committee at the ministerial level scheduled for September 20. The final drafts of agreements and documents will be presented during the summit of the heads of countries participating in the TAPI project, which will be held in the Turkmen capital this December.

Thus, the active and comprehensive work on the TAPI project at various levels contributes to accelerating the construction of the transnational gas pipeline that will ensure long-term supplies of natural gas from Turkmenistan to largest countries of Southern Asia as well as give powerful incentives for sustainable social and economic development of the Asian region.