Moscow considers the prospect of Russia’s participation in the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline project “politically attractive”, Zamir Kabulov, special representative of the Russian president for Afghanistan, director of the Second Asia Department of the Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with TASS.
“Politically, this prospect looks attractive. The issues of ensuring the security of this project that were previously considered the most problematic at the current stage have lost their sharpness,” he said in response to a question whether Moscow is considering participation in this project against the backdrop of intensified negotiations on it after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan. At the same time, Kabulov noted that the last word on participation in the gas pipeline project will remain with Russian economic operators. “Everything will depend on the commercial side of the issue, profitability for them from participating in the implementation of this project,” he concluded.
The gas pipeline will allow Ashgabat to diversify its gas exports, give Kabul the means to solve the most pressing social problems, and allow Islamabad and Delhi to cover the energy deficit. The project has been approved by Russia, the United States, the European Union and other states, as well as major financial institutions, in particular, the Asian Development Bank. The Taliban also declared their interest in TAPI after coming to power.
