President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday called for taking up the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline project on an urgent basis. Talking to Rashid Ovezgeldievich Meredov, Vice Premier and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President stressed for also holding a meeting of the TAPI steering committee to address issues involved in the pipeline project.
President Zardari said the early completion of regional connectivity projects was not only a key to the development of region, but would also promote mutual relationship among the countries. He said the industrial and infrastructure development hinges upon energy and the ever-growing energy needs of the region could only be fulfilled if the available resources are fully utilised for maximum mutual advantage of the countries.
He said the early completion of gas connectivity projects would not only cater to energy requirements of the regional countries but would also improve the standards through creation of employment, economic opportunities besides infrastructure and industrial development.
The President said Pakistan has a vision of establishing energy and trade corridors with the Central Asian Republics and Turkmenistan being an exporter of gas can play a major role in promoting energy co-operation in the region. Discussing bilateral relations, the President stressed upon the need to boost mutual trade relations and said the Central Asian Republic could take advantage of geostrategic location of Pakistan and boost their trade with the international community.
The President said there was a need to further promote mutual exchanges through relaxation of visa regimes. Strict visa regime was hampering establishment of viable air links and trade, he noted. Rashid Ovezgeldievich Meredov thanked the President for meeting and expressed sympathies of his government and people over the losses due to recent catastrophic floods.
He said Turkmenistan was keen for an early completion of ongoing regional projects which would further improve mutual relations between the two countries, meet the growing energy needs of Pakistan and would also create win-win situation for all the countries involved in the project. He appreciated the Government and the President's keen interest in completion of connectivity projects.
The Turkmenistan side comprised Nury Muhammedov, Chairman of State Concern, Taganov Palvan, Chairman Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ambassador Sapar Berdiniyazov, Mergen Shaliyev, Deputy Minister for Economy and Development, Veliglych Mammedov, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Jepbarberdi Atayev, Deputy Minister for Energy and Industries were present besides other senior officials.
The Pakistan side included M Salman Faruqui, Secretary General to the President, Nawabzada Malik Ammad Khan, MOS for Foreign Affairs, Kamran Lashari, Secretary Petroleum, Sibtain Fazal Haleem, Secretary Economic Affair Division, Asif Bajwa, Acting Secretary Finance and Spokesperson to the President Farhatullah Babar along with other senior officials of Foreign Ministry.
Rashid Meredov meets PM: Meanwhile Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said Pakistan seeks early completion of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project to meet country's energy demand. Talking to Rashid Meredov, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan who called on him at the PM House, he expressed the hope that the pending issues would be resolved shortly.
Gilani hoped the meetings of Technical Working Group and the Steering Committee relating to security of the gas pipeline in Afghanistan, guarantees for steady supply of the gas, required financing for the project and other technical matters would be resolved expeditiously. Prime Minister said Pakistan and Turkmenistan had enjoyed cordial, fraternal ties based on the common culture and history with Turkmenistan.
He called for building up on these solid foundations to expand co-operation between the two countries in various fields, specially oil and gas, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, science and technology and education. He said it was gratifying to note that the second meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission formed in 1994 had been very useful for bilateral co-operation in diverse fields and in identifying ways and means to strengthen ties in these areas.
He hoped that the Joint Ministerial Commission's meetings would be held on a regular basis and the Joint Working Group being formed for co-operation in various areas would be instrumental in promoting co-operation in their respective fields.
Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov conveyed the best wishes and gratitude of his President to the Prime Minister along with sincere condolences and sympathies of the government and people of Turkmenistan. He said his government was considering provision of appropriate humanitarian assistance to Pakistan, which would soon be delivered on his return to Ashgabat.
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