Ashgabat to host final discussions on TAPI gas pipeline project in May

Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, April 7 / Trend, H. Hasanov / Discussion of final documents on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project among the member countries is scheduled for May 24 in Ashgabat, Pakistani media outlets reported. There is an agreement that "the sector's ministers from Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, as well as a representative of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will meet in Ashgabat on May 24," Pakistan Observer reports. It is noted that the decision followed a recent meeting of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov with Afghan Minister of Mining Resources Wahidullah Shahrani in Ashgabat. The report citing a source in Afghanistan said that "the May meeting will be last in completing TAPI documents, and it will decide the fate of the project." In addition, it is supposed that the ADB is ready to partially finance the project estimated at $10 billion. Yesterday it was reported that Pakistan is ready to sign a gas sales purchase agreement with Turkmenistan in April. The basic document for the promotion of TAPI project is the Ashgabat interstate agreement of the state parties on the commencement of the practical implementation of the TAPI project signed at the end of 2010. The agenda includes issues of transit payment and security of the project. The designed capacity of the pipeline is for around 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Buyers are the gas companies of Pakistan and India. The project is being promoted by the Asian Development Bank. The resource base, in addition to the Dovletabad field, is the largest in Turkmenistan, namely the Southern Yoloten - Osman ("Galkynysh"). The length of the pipeline may reach 1735 kilometres. At this stage the principle of forming an international consortium is under discussion and the project financing issue is being resolved. Russia has shown interest in this project at a high level and the U.S. and Turkey support its implementation. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az