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Peace pipeline moves closer to fruition
In yet another act of improving bilateral relations, India and Pakistan have announced progress on a gas pipeline project also bringing into the fold Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. Officials from India and Pakistan have announced they are moving closer to inking a deal to import gas from Turkmenistan via a pipeline through Afghanistan. The 1,700-kilometer "TAPI" duct will transport over 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually from fields in Dauletabad in southeastern Turkmenistan.In high-level talks in New Delhi this week, Indian Oil Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said "considerable progress" has been made on the project. His Pakistani counterpart, Asim Hussain, added at the meeting that "the issue of transit fees is being discussed with Afghanistan. A joint strategy is also being created between India and Pakistan." When the four countries signed a framework agreement back in 2008, the Asian Development Bank estimated the cost of the TAPI pipeline project at around $7.6 billion. After the talks in New Delhi, the Indian oil minister emphasized that the pipeline would help address the energy needs of the region. Reddy also clarified that security concerns were discussed with Afghan officials, who themselves sought to provide reassurance that necessary measures would be taken to protect the TAPI project. "We consider it a pipeline of peace," Reddy said. "Everyone needs gas." Posted by: tipper 2012-01-27 |
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