OREANDA-NEWS. On the instructions of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the Turkmen delegation participated in the international conference in support of Afghanistan, which took place in Paris on June 12.

Turkmenistan that profoundly contributes to Afghanistan’s becoming a peaceful country building its present with the support of the true friends and dependable partners stated its position at the largest international forum that brought together the heads of the foreign policy departments from almost 70 countries worldwide.

Neutral Turkmenistan with the reputation of a peacemaking country was among the countries that initiated the process of settling the inter-Afghan conflict and the Turkmen capital hosted several series of the inter-Afghan talks that became a landmark in the negotiation process of many years.

Joining the international community greatly concerned in establishment of lasting peace and stability in the neighbouring country Turkmenistan and Afghanistan are bound today with the long-range plans, which on the one hand will create the favourable conditions for stabilizing the situation and Afghanistan’s social and economic development and on the other hand will serve as an essential factor for enhancing regional co-operation. That is the important projects initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, particularly in energy sector and transport that are of exceptional significance for the participating countries and the region as well. These plans were ardently supported by President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai during the top level talks with the Turkmen leader in Kabul.

The favourable geographical location enables Turkmenistan and Afghanistan to ensure transit freight traffic across their territories in the north-south and east-west directions. In this regard Turkmenistan expressed the willingness to connect Turkmenistan’s trunk railways with Afghanistan’s railway networks. Thus, Turkmenistan intends to finance and implement the project on construction of a branch line from Turkmen town of Atamurat to the Turkmen-Afghan border. In the future a railroad that will provide an outlet to other countries of the region can be built in Afghanistan.

The large-scale energy project under active development is the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline that will stretch 1,680 kilometres, 735 kilometres of which will cross the territory of Afghanistan. This grandiose regional project will profoundly contribute to development of Afghan economy and social infrastructure, create 12,000 new jobs and receive the net profit of US\\$ 500 million for transit of Turkmen natural gas. Turkmenistan stands ready to employ its profound experience and required personnel and technical potential to develop energy co-operation and to collaborate on exploration and development of Afghanistan’s oil and gas deposits in the border regions.

Turkmen electric power exported at the reduced price to the southern neighbour is Turkmenistan’s profound contribution to development of Afghanistan’s social and economic infrastructure and the peaceful life of the Afghan society. Turkmenistan intends to expand the network of power transmission lines towards Afghanistan and lays lead power lines on its territory. In particular, Turkmenistan is planning to increase supply of electricity to Gerat to 100 mWt. Moreover, the projects on construction of the substations and 500 kWt power future transmission lines stretching 410 kilometres to the Turkmen-Afghan border were drafted.

The projects successfully implemented over the years lay the foundation for expanding bilateral co-operation. Thus, under the contracts the Turkmen specialists built a number of the power supply facilities including substations and power transmission lines connecting the two neighbouring countries.

The humanitarian component of the Turkmen-Afghan relations is of particular importance. As a token of support to the fraternal people of Afghanistan in 2007 President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took the decisions to write off Afghanistan’s debt of about US\\$ 4 million for Turkmen electric power and to supply electric power free of charge to the sum of US\\$ 300,000 to Afghanistan. A year ago the Turkmen specialists gratuitously reconstructed a 2-km section of the railway from the Turkmen-Afghan border to Afghan Turghundi to the total sum of US\\$ 500,000.

Humanitarian aid sent to five provinces of Afghanistan this abnormally cold winter evidences the Turkmen people’s sincere wish to help the nearest neighbour. For many years Turkmenistan provided the air and ground corridors for the countries and the international organisations that deliver humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

Contributing to Afghanistan’s sustainable development Turkmenistan provides possible assistance in training specialists and every year admits 30 young citizens of the neighbouring country to the educational establishments and renders free medical aid to the people in the border areas. The Afghan scientists and cultural workers regularly participate in the international scientific conferences, festivals and cultural actions in Turkmenistan, the ethnic Turkmen residing in Afghanistan have an opportunity to visit the historical homeland and participate in the forums of the Humanitarian Association of World Turkmen.