Afghan President Ghani hails 'historic' TAPI pipeline

Mary (Turkmenistan), Dec. 13 (ANI): Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani hailed the launch of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project as 'historic', saying that it had helped the Asian nations in overcoming a history of doubt and scepticism.

"Today we are witnessing a truly historic event. Why is it historic? First, because we are overcoming a history of doubt and scepticism. For decades there has been talk of this project, today we are showing that we are determined to make our vision reality," he said while speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the TAPI gas pipeline project in Mary.

"Secondly, it shows that Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India will be renewing ties that bound us together for several millennia but due to the advent of Soveit Union were ruptured," he added.

Ghani also lauded Turkmenistan's 'neutrality policy', saying that it had created the conditions for good neighbourly relations.

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He said that TAPI gas pipeline project will have a positive impact on environment.

"It is historic because the Paris agreement on climate has just concluded & this project will ensure that Afghanistan, Pakistan and India will all have positive carbon footprint. Congratulations on moving the first goal point," he said.

Earlier, Vice-President Hamid Ansari had thanked the Afghanistan President and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for their active involvement in the TAPI gas pipeline project. He had said that their commitment augured well for the entire region.

India's association with the TAPI project goes back almost a decade. It began as an Observer country at the 9th Steering Committee Meeting in 2006. In April 2008, India was formally admitted as a member of the Project. Since then, India has been actively participating in all the meetings and has been an active votary of the project.

Recently, during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Turkmenistan in July 2015, both India and Turkmenistan had reaffirmed strong commitment towards timely implementation of this strategic project for the common benefit of people of the four countries.