Trans-Afghan project to enhance interaction between participating countries.

NEW DELHI, January 1 (Itar-Tass) -- The trans-Afghan gas pipeline
project (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India - or TAPI) will enhance
interaction between the participating countries, Indian Minister of
External Affairs Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna told reporters on Friday.
Owing to the project, each of three countries participating in the
project will receive 3.2 billion cubic feet (more than 90.6 million cubic
metres) of natural gas a day, the minister said. In his words, the TAPI
project is an important initiative, which builds up confidence between
Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. In addition, construction
of the trans-Afghan gas pipeline will strengthen mutually beneficial
economic cooperation between the aforesaid countries, Krishna said.
Security of the TAPI gas pipeline and cost of the project were in the
focus during the consideration of India's possible participation in it,
the Indian minister said.
All countries participating in the TAPI project are reliable partners,
the Indian minister said, voicing confidence that they understand the
undertaken responsibility in the political, economic and security spheres.
The Indian minister of external affairs reminded the reporters that
Ashgabat hosted a special summit devoted to the TAPI project in December
2010. Back then, the presidents of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan,
as well as the Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas signed an
intergovernmental agreement on the implementation of the project.
The talks on the project have been lasting more than 15 years.
The construction of the gas pipeline is estimated at about 7.6 billion
U.S. dollars. The annual capacity of the 1,680-kilometre pipeline is
projected at 33 billion cubic metres of gas.
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