Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi in a meeting with Turkmen Foreign Minister on Wednesday said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan will make every effort to facilitate the implementation of TAPI pipeline project and other major projects implemented jointly with Turkmenistan.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the third meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan in China’s Tunxi city.
The meeting was also attended by the Afghan Minister of Mines and Petroleum Sheikh Shahabuddin Delawar and the Afghan Minister of Economy Qari Din Mohammad Hanif, according to the state-run news agency of Afghanistan Bakhtar.
The meeting focused on discussions on the TAPI gas pipeline and the TAP power transmission line projects, as well as bilateral cooperation between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.
The Turkmen Foreign Minister stated that in addition to the commencement of operational work on the TAPI project, preparations are underway for the construction of railways and other projects passing through Afghanistan.
The Afghan Minister of Mines and Petroleum Sheikh Shahabuddin Delawar termed the TAPI project as vital and called for ongoing efforts to resolve the remaining issues including land acquisition.
In turn, the Afghan Minister of Economy Qari Din Mohammad Hanif said now is the time for Afghanistan’s neighbors and the regional countries to cooperate fully in economic projects and development of bilateral trade.
On the sidelines of the third meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, the Turkmen Foreign Minister also held talks with his Chinese and Iranian counterparts.