President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov took part in the GECF Summit

On November 23, while on an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov took part in the Summit of heads of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). The head of Turkmen state was invited to the Summit as a distinguished guest.

Speaking at the GEC Summit, the Turkmen leader has noted that the current situation in the global energy area, including in the gas sector, gives rise to a number of large and complex problems. One such is - ensuring energy security as an essential condition of the planned and well-coordinated development of the global economy.

In this regard, what is above all needed today is taking efficient steps equally oriented to the interests of the countries –producers, transiters and gas consumers, becomes progressively urgent, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov continued.  In this aspect, very important is development of the open, non-discriminatory, clear-cut rules of interest-based interrelations between the states.

In its energy policy, Turkmenistan proceeds exactly from such position, the nation’s leader emphasized, noting that the substance and direction of the proposals forwarded by our country and practical measures rest on that position too. Turkmenistan’s initiatives on the guarantees of ensuring reliability and security of energy supplies to the world markets are finding wider and wider support in the world.

The clearest evidence of it are the unanimously adopted by the United Nations’ General Assembly Resolutions on reliable and stable transit of energy resources, initiated by Turkmenistan (in 2008 and 2013) and co-authored by over 70 states.

Speaking of this, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has noted that currently, the necessary work is in progress on preparing a new international legal document of the United Nations on the activities at the global energy area in accordance with the generally-admitted rules. An International Expert Group was created to develop the within-said document. An effective work is being carried out to improve this group, the first meeting of which was held late last year in Ashgabat.

Pending the subject, the head of Turkmenistan has underlined that involvement of new regions and markets in the international energy system will give an additional powerful impetus to the industrial production in the world, development of the trade, investment growth, creation of new jobs, as well as it will contribute significantly to the stabilization of political situation in the regions and states.

In this context, the nation’s leader has noted great significance of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline construction project. We consider this project as an example of mutually respectful, equal, beneficial cooperation, the head of Turkmenistan highlighted. The countries involved in the project have common long-term interests and development-favored goals. We highly appreciate the fact that these states responsibly approach the project, guided by the real situation, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said.

Thereupon, the Turkmen leader noted that our partners in Asia and Europe, major financial institutions, primarily the Asian Development Bank, give great support to the implementation of the TAPI gas pipeline project. This clearly speaks in favor of understanding the project implementation significance.

At present, the practical implementation of the project has started. In the coming days, Turkmenistan will begin construction of the pipeline’s section running in the territory of Turkmenistan, said President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, having expressed firm belief that the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project would be completed on the agreed time - in 2018.

Pending the theme of cooperation in the fuel-energy sector, the head of state informed that productive negotiations were being held with the parties concerned in implementing the projects of the Turkmen natural gas supply in the European direction.

In his speech at the Summit, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has emphasized that all gas pipeline projects Turkmenistan has implemented, participates now, or plans to participate in the future are advantageous for the participating countries. They are realized with a glance to the economic and commercial interests of all players. In this regard, the leader of nation believes that international cooperation in the gas industry is to follow the well-thought economic and science-based parameters, to be guided, first and foremost, by the reasonable prices for the natural gas and its transit.

President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has also focused attention on the particular importance of the environmental aspect while constructing the pipelines, meaning careful and long-term prospects of the environment protection.

Emphasizing that Turkmenistan is one of the responsible and reliable producers and suppliers of energy resources, the nation’s leader has confirmed the Turkmen side’s readiness for close partnership with different states and international organizations in developing the clear-cut dovetailed mechanisms on all the problems of the universal energy strategy.

Concluding his speech, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has emphasized that our country in 2017, during its chairmanship in the Energy Charter, will give special attention to that direction of the mutuality-based cooperation.

 

State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH)