ASHGABAT: USA supports pipeline via Afghanistan - diplomat 31/01/2002 13:46:56
The US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, Elizabeth Jones has stated that the USA considers the TransAfghan gas pipeline project promising.
After talks with the Turkmen president, Saparmyrat Nyyazow, the American diplomat told journalists in Ashgabat that the USA would support any project to build oil and gas pipelines from Turkmenistan, provided they are commercially beneficial.
The USA itself will not invest in the construction of such pipelines, she said. This should be done by private companies, but the US government will support them. In particular, the government is ready to held talks with governments on creation of favourable tax conditions for the construction of export pipelines and on strict fulfilment of contract terms.
Concerning the possibility of building a pipeline from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan and further to Pakistan and India, Elizabeth Jones said, that, taking into account the fact that the region's demand in energy is quite high, the project would be profitable.
BBC
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