President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who was on an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, attended the Summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Tehran.
The heads of state and high-ranking representatives from the GECF Member Countries and the states with observer status and distinguished guests arrived in Tehran to participate in the Summit. Representatives of a number of international organisations participated in the forum. The Turkmen leader was invited to attend the Summit as guest of honour.
Addressing the high-level forum, the Turkmen leader noted that the current situation on the world energy market, including in the gas sector, had determined a number of important and complex tasks to be fulfilled. In this context, the President of Turkmenistan spotlighted the major issues, including the achievement of energy security as an essential factor contributing to global economic growth.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that the need to take effective steps towards equal consideration and respect to the interests of gas producers, transit countries and gas consumers was becoming increasingly urgent in this context. The development of open non-discriminatory and clear guidelines for relations between the states cooperating in this sphere is of paramount importance in this regard.
It is this stance that Turkmenistan builds its energy policy on, which determines the nature and vector of the proposals put forward by our country and practical measures taken.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that the work on the development on a new international legal instrument of the United Nations on global energy activities in accordance with the general rules was under way. The international expert group was established to develop this document. It held the first meeting in Ashgabat late last year.
The Turkmen leader emphasized that the connection of new regions and markets to international energy networks would give an additional powerful impetus to industrial production on a global scale, promote trade and investment and create new jobs. All this will have a significant impact on stabilization of the political situation in the regions and countries.
In this context, the Turkmen leader emphasized the paramount importance of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. The participating countries have common goals to achieve in terms of long-term interests and development.
The Turkmen leader noted that our partners in Asia and Europe and the major financial institutions, particularly the Asian Development Bank, were providing substantial assistance in the implementation of the TAPI gas pipeline project. This clearly testifies to the understanding of the importance of the project implementation.
Negotiations with the interested parties on the implementation of the projects for natural gas supplies from Turkmenistan to Europe were also held.
The construction of the East-West gas pipeline that will unite the main gas fields across the country to comprise a single gas transportation system as well as significantly enhance the export potential of Turkmenistan and give an additional guarantee for reliable and stable transit of energy from Turkmenistan to world markets is nearing completion.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov also highlighted the need to adhere to the well thought-out economic parameters when promoting international cooperation in the gas sector, particularly the appropriateness to abide by reasonable prices for natural gas and its transit.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov focused on the particular importance of the environmental aspect in pipeline construction which should be based on a thorough and long-term approach to environmental protection.
The Turkmen leader confirmed that the Turkmen side stood ready for close partnership with different states and international organisations to develop distinct and harmonized mechanisms on all aspects of the global energy strategy.
In conclusion, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that our country that would chair the Energy Charter in 2017 would pay special attention to this area of mutually beneficial cooperation.
