| ASHGABAT
(July 20 2002) : The Trans-Afghan Gas Pipeline (TAP), the
long dormant project that hopes to pump Turkmen natural gas
to markets in South Asia, is finally poised to step off the
drawing board.
Fast
paced developments during the last 6 weeks proved that
Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan are determined
to make this pipeline become a reality against all odds.
On
May 30, 2002, heads of Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan
signed a tripartite accord in Islamabad to revive the
'reluctant pipeline' and formed a high-level managing
committee to oversee the progress of phase one of the
project. Phase one includes identification of financiers,
evaluation of potential markets, determination of principles
to form a consortium, which will build, operate and own
the pipeline and select consultant to oversee the project.
The
managing committee, comprising Usman Aminuddin, Pakistani
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Juma Mohammadi,
Afghan Minister of Mines and Industry and Yolly Gurbanmuradov,
Turkmen Deputy Minister responsible for oil and gas,
met in Ashgabat on July, 2002, to compare notes and formulate
future strategy for the implementation of the project.
The
Ashgabat meeting was held in the all-marble exterior
and all-glitter interior of Sardar business centre on
the outskirts of Ashgabat. July 9, 2002 was a day full
of surprises for the observers of Trans-Afghan pipeline
project.
Related
Links
Asian
ministers support natural gas pipeline project
Development
Programme in Pakistan.
Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Turkmenistan Sign Pipeline Deal
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