ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s decision to go ahead with Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline despite of naked threats of United States to clamp sanction is still “unexpected and unaccepted for Washington that is still pursuing with Turkmanistan-Afghanistan—Pakistan—India (TAPI) gas pipeline project.
Robert O. Blake, Jr. the Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs during a discussion at Turkic American Convention Washington, DC on March 13, 2013 stated that US hopes to see the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India, or TAPI, gas pipeline a reality and a boon for South and Central Asia.
He was of the view that by connecting abundant energy reserves in Turkmenistan with rapidly rising demand for that energy in South Asia, TAPI can be transformative for the region. There are still many hurdles to overcome, but TAPI is much closer to reality today than many skeptics thought possible just a few years ago.
“Afghanistan’s role in TAPI is especially significant. As NATO forces transfer full security responsibility to the Afghan National Security Forces by the end of 2014 and Afghanistan adjusts to lower levels of military spending and foreign aid, the energy and transportation corridors connecting South Asia and Eurasia via Afghanistan will play an increasingly important role for the economic future of Afghanistan and the region, he added.
