Turkmen pres to put forth idea on trans-Afghan gas pipeline at UN.

19/9 Tass 34

ASHBABAT, September 19 (Itar-Tass) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly
Berdymukhamedov intends to voice several new foreign policy initiatives of
Ashgabat from the UN rostrum. He departs for New York on Sunday to
participate in the 65th session of the UN General Assembly.
The government press service reported on Sunday that these initiatives
"are, in actual fact, peace-making projects for forming new architecture
of global security, called upon to ensure stability and firm progress of
the present-day world". The key initiative is a peaceful version of
settling the situation in Afghanistan.
Taking into account its neutral status, Turkmenistan suggests holding
a top-level international meeting in Ashgabat under the UN aegis on
confidence-building measures in Afghanistan and development of institutes
of state power. The second stage will include preparation of a long-term
programme on restoring Afghanistan under the UN aegis.
Main projects will be aimed at creating transport and communication
networks, electrification, formation of multisectoral industry,
construction of schools, hospitals and other social projects.
The programme gives much attention to implementing a large-scale
project of building a Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline
as a factor of a lasting peace and stability.
"Construction of this pipeline," Berdymukhamedov said at a recent
summit of Turkik-language states, "will give a powerful jab in the arm for
the economic development of Afghanistan and its social infrastructure,
will create thousands of jobs and will help Afghan people to get a
considerable income from transit of Turkmen natural gas."
Last August, following several phone talks between the Turkmen leader
and the presidents of Afghanistan, Pakistan as well as the Indian premier,
the sides reached an understanding on a quadripartite summit next
December in Ashgabat with signing a framework agreement on building the
above gas pipeline and an agreement on purchase and sale of gas.
The Turkmen and Afghan presidents also agreed to meet on the sidelines
of the work of the UN General Assembly to discuss acceleration of
implementing the gas pipeline project.
"Turkmenistan is convinced that precisely the United Nations,
possessing the huge peace-making experience and firm legal basis of
international cooperation, should act as an initiator of a constructive
dialogue on settling the Afghan question," noted the Turkmen government
press service.
-0-bur/gor