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Kabul: Russia will participate in TAPI transnational gas pipeline project if receives a proposal from partner countries, says President Vladimir Putin’s special representative for Afghanistan Pajhwok news reported.
The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline will transport up to 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year through a steel pipeline to South Asian nations in desperate need of energy sources.
In an interview with Russian 24 television, Zamir Kabulov said:” Russia will also take part in the TAPI if receives a proposal from partners Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.”
He noted that the Russian president had previously stated that he would be willing to facilitate such a process.
“This is an integral part of the Russian strategy of turning towards Asia, and this is its economic part, so we are ready to join this [project] with interest,” Kabulov explained.
Recently Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov stated that Russia does not rule out participating in the TAPI project in an interview with Pakistani TV channel PTV World, according to Interfax.
Various issues need to be resolved, of course, including issues concerning the security of it [passing] through Afghanistan. But I don’t see particular difficulties here, because this matter is being discussed and we equally understand that such security can be ensured, Shulginov said.
