Ukraine Willing To Sell Equipment for TAPI

Ukraine would like to be involved in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline, according to Gennady Zubko, Minister of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Utilities, who signalled the intention on Sunday.

“Ukraine is interested in taking a role in the realisation of the project,” he said in a statement published on the Ministry’s website. 

Reportedly, Kiev would like to sell equipment and pipeline products, while buying hydrocarbons from Turkmenistan. 

A meeting between Ukrainian and Turkmen officials took place a few hours before a ribbon-cutting ceremony for TAPI. The heads of state of the four countries took part in the inauguration of construction works on Sunday.

"The pipeline route will run across the cities of Herat and Kandahar in Afghanistan and the cities of Quetta and Multan in Pakistan to Fazilka village in India," Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported. "The gas pipeline has an annual capacity to supply 33 billion cubic meters."

The pipeline, including ground-based infrastructure, is to be put into operation in December 2019, according to the same source.

On the same occasion, Turkmengaz State Concern, Afghan Gas Enterprise, Inter state gas systems and GAIL signed a shareholders' agreement.