KABUL – A *ground-breaking ceremony was held in Herat on Friday to launchthe start of work on the Afghanistan section of the keyTurkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project that willfeed natural gas to the three countries from Turkmenistan. *
Attending Friday’s ceremony was President Ashraf Ghani, TurkmenistanPresident Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid KhaqanAbbasi, Mobashar Jawed Akbar India’s Minister of State External Affairs,NATO and US Forces Commander Gen. John Nicholson and other high-rankingofficials.
Addressing the event, Ghani said Afghanistan will leave no stone unturnedto implement the project.
“Today, Herat gives the message of confidence, hope and rehabilitation toAfghanistan and the region. Afghanistan will not spare any efforts toimplement the project,” he said.
“The start of this project is the beginning of change in distrust to trust.It is the start of trust in Afghanistan. The project will improve regionalcooperation and will move us from poverty to prosperity,” he added.
At the same event, Pakistan Prime Minister said his country is committed tolong-term economic goals which guarantee stability in the region.
Abbasi wished Afghanistan success for its economic projects and said, “yourdevelopment is our development, security in Afghanistan is security inPakistan”.
Turkmenistan President meanwhile stressed the need for increasing hiscountry’s cooperation with Afghanistan.
He said the implementation of the TAPI project is the biggest achievementfor the countries involved, adding that the project has a good impact onAfghanistan’s security and economy.