Elvira Kadyrova
On Monday, 13 September 2021, Deputy Prime Minister, minister of foreign affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov held online talks with the Second Deputy Prime Minister of the interim government of Afghanistan Abdul Salam Hanafi, twitted the spokesman of the political office of the Taliban, Mohammad Naeem.
According to Naeem, the Turkmen foreign minister expressed his country’s readiness to work with the new leadership of Afghanistan. In addition, the Turkmen side intends to “encourage other neighbors to work together with the new Afghan government”, he wrote.
During the meeting, they also discussed major transport and energy projects involving two neighboring countries. These include the completion of the Aqina-Andkhoy railway line and the Torghundi-Herat railway.
Regarding major projects as TAPI gas pipeline and TAP power transmission lines, the Afghan and Turkmen officials will meet in the near future to launch their practical realization in Afghanistan, the representative of the Taliban said.
Meredov assured Hanafi that Turkmenistan will continue providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people in the future.
In turn, Hanafi thanked Turkmenistan and expressed his assurance of Afghanistan’s cooperation and commitment on good bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.
It should be noted that even with the power change in Afghanistan, Turkmenistan continues to maintain a close dialogue with its neighbor on the main areas of cooperation. The checkpoints on the Turkmen-Afghan border Imamnazar-Aqina and Serkhetabad-Torghundi are operating as usual.
At the end of August, construction resumed on the segment of the Aqina-Andkhoy railway in Afghanistan.
The northern, western and north-western regions of Herat, Badghis, Jouzjan, Balkh, and Faryab are still supplied with Turkmen electricity. /// nCa, 15 September 2021