WASHINGTON, July 22: The gas pipeline crisscrossing Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI) has the potential to transform the future of the entire region, both South and Central Asia, the United States has said.
“The United States supports TAPI because we believe it has the potential to be transformative for the future of the entire region.”
“The TAPI pipeline project is a true multinational effort and, if realised, can serve as an important example of the benefits of greater regional economic connectivity,” a State Department Spokesperson told PTI.
Welcoming the signing of the TAPI operation agreement by these four countries in Ashgabat last week, the US has urged them to rope in an international energy company now to take the project forward.
The representative nations signed an Operations Agreement for the TAPI pipeline at the July 8 TAPI Steering Committee Meeting in Ashgabat.
The spokesperson said the United States is pleased to see continuing progress on TAPI, and expressed hope the project can succeed if it is done on a commercially viable, economically-sustainable basis.
“We encourage the TAPI parties to bring an international energy company into the project to work in cooperation with Turkmengaz in the development of the gas supply and serve as commercial champion for the project,” the spokesperson said. (PTI)
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