OREANDA-NEWS. September 22, 2010. Ashgabat hosted the 11th meeting of the Steering Committee on Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. The heads of sectoral ministries, representatives of the four countries and experts of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) took part in the meeting.

In an atmosphere of mutual understanding the meeting participants unanimously underlined the significant importance of this transnational infrastructure project, which would ensure long-term supplies of Turkmen natural gas to largest countries of Southern Asia and offer a powerful incentive for sustained social and economic development and enhancement of peace and stability in the Asian region. Taking the particular importance of this project the participants called for accelerating the project implementation.

The Steering Committee members reviewed and approved the main outcomes of the 6th meeting of the Technical Working Group, which had taken place in Ashgabat on September 18-19 and addressed the key technical and commercial issues related to various aspects of the accelerated project implementation were discussed.

The 11th meeting of the Steering Committee held in a businesslike and constructive format was very productive. In particular, the heads of the sectoral ministries of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India signed the TAPI Project Framework Agreement. This document will be endorsed in accordance with the official procedures in each country. The top managers of the companies signed the Protocol of Amendment to the provisions of the gas sale contract. The meeting participants discussed and agreed upon the draft agreement on the construction of the TAPI gas pipeline project to be signed by the Governments of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

The meeting participants approved the meeting schedule for the Technical Working Group and the Steering Committee for October-November, which would finalize the agreements to be presented at the TAPI Project Summit of the leaders of the countries participating in the project, which would be held in the Turkmen capital this December.

The report of the Gaffney Cline Company on the certification of gas reserves of the Southern Yoloten field was presented to the foreign participants for review. The guests noted that the reserves of this giant field vividly showcased Turkmenistan’s potential to ensure long-term natural gas supplies to world markets.

In upon concluding the meeting, the participants underscored the significant progress made in the past few months in implementing the TAPI project that became possible due to the efforts taken by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to speed up the project implementation and expressed support for the Turkmen leader’s international initiatives to build under the aegis of the UN the effective mechanisms for reliable and stable transit of energy to world markets.