On April 3, 2017, the regular meeting of the Regional Technical Group of the countries-participants of the Confidence Building Measures "Regional Infrastructures" (RI-CBM) was held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan within the framework of the Istanbul process on assistance to Afghanistan. Representatives of about 20 countries and a number of international organizations took part in the meeting.
The delegation of Turkmenistan, speaking at the opening of the meeting, noted that, being a universally recognized neutral state, Turkmenistan seeks to provide maximum assistance to the international community in efforts to achieve a political settlement of the situation in Afghanistan. Special mention was made of the international initiatives of the President of Turkmenistan aimed at providing all-round support to Afghanistan in strengthening peace, security and stability of the country, as well as restoring its economy and social sphere.
In this context, it should be noted that Turkmenistan, as an active participant in international efforts to assist Afghanistan, has initiated and actively implements important infrastructure projects in the oil and gas, transport and energy sectors, such as the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, the construction of railway from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, laying of the high-voltage power lines. In addition, work is underway to implement new international projects on transit supplies of electricity on the route Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan and a number of other projects. Turkmenistan also actively cooperates with the Government of Afghanistan in the humanitarian sphere.
The participants of the meeting discussed ways to further improve the work in the field of regional infrastructure facilities in Afghanistan and develop a strategy for further practical actions in this direction. Representatives of delegations made concrete proposals to strengthen stability and development of the country in various fields, noted the commitment to further cooperation in this direction.
Within the framework of the meeting in the Ministries of Railway Transport and Energy of Turkmenistan round tables will be held to discuss the role of multimodal transport and transit corridors in the regional integration of transport systems, rural access to transport communications, effective regional energy cooperation as a factor of stability and sustainable development, energy efficiency and transit energy, as well as the concept of presidency of Turkmenistan in the Energy Charter Conference.
