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Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan sign agt on trans-Afghan gas pipeline

13 December 2010 13:34 (UTC +04:00)

Baku - APA-Economics. Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari signed an inter-governmental agreement on Saturday, December 11, giving a start to the trans-Afghan gas pipeline project, ITAR-TASS reported.

The minister of oil and gas signed the document for India.

â€œThe gas pipeline will bind our countries even stronger by bonds of friendship and good-neighbourliness on the basis of a clear understanding of joint long-term cooperation goals,â€ Berdymukhamedov said, speaking at the special summit in Ashgabat.

â€œThe progress of the project became possible owing to the political will, a constructive position, and balance of interests among producers, transit nations and energy consumers,â€ he said.

â€œAs a supplier of natural gas, Turkmenistan will provide for the increasingly growing needs of the Pakistani and Indian economies,â€ the president assured his colleagues.

Afghanistan will fulfil its obligations under the project in terms of security and in terms of construction, Karzai said.

â€œWe will make every effort for security during and after construction,â€ he said.