OREANDA-NEWS. May 28, 2012. A meeting of the representatives and specialists of countries, participants of the project on construction of the transnational gas pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India took place within the framework of the III International Gas Congress. During the meeting the sides discussed and reached agreements and mutual understanding in a number of issues for accelerating implementation of this important project.

In particular, the Agreement of purchase and sale of natural gas between the Turkmengaz State Concern and the Inter State Gas System Limited Company (Pakistan), the Agreement of purchase and sale of natural gas between the Turkmengaz State Concern and the GAIL Limited Company (India), as well as the Memorandum of Understanding on further development of cooperation in the gas industry between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan were signed during the meeting.

Thus, it is safe to say that a historical event that has started implementation of the next grandiose project initiated by Turkmenistan – construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India took place during the III International Gas Congress.

Speaking at the ceremony of signing the important documents the Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Minister of Oil and Natural Gas of the Republic of India, the Minister of Mines of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan underlined that besides the energy tasks, laying of the gas pipeline would allow the countries, participants of the project solving a number of important and humanitarian issues, including creation of additional jobs, establishment of the social infrastructure along the gas main line, and, that is most important, would promote maintaining and fostering the political stability in the whole region.

In this regard, the initiative on ensuring security of the pipeline system put forward by Turkmenistan that was secured by the Special Resolution on the Reliable and Stable Transit of Energy and Its Role in Ensuring Sustainable Development and International Cooperation at the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly in September 2008 acquires a paramount significance.