October 10, 2002	Thursday	Sha’aban 3, 1423

ASHKHABAD, Oct 9: Ukraine is ready to take part in the construction of a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan across Afghanistan to Pakistan, a Ukrainian envoy here said on Wednesday.

“We are ready to participate in the construction of the trans-Afghan gas pipeline if such a possibility is offered,” said Ukrainian ambassador in Turkmenistan Vadim Chuprun.

According to Chuprun, Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov suggested to Ukrainian officials that they consider participating in the construction of the 1,500-kilometre, two-billion-dollar gas pipeline project.

Ukraine would determine how it could participate in the project after a meeting of Turkmen, Afghan and Pakistani leaders that is due to take place in Ashkhabad in October, Chuprun said.

The leaders at the Ashkhabad meeting plan to sign an agreement to build the massive gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Pakistan, which has been stalled by two decades of conflict in Afghanistan, a Turkmen source told AFP.

Afghan officials hope the project will speed the recovery of their war-ravaged state, which would benefit from millions of dollars in transport tariffs if the pipeline were built.

It would also provide landlocked but resource-rich Turkmenistan with an export route for its gas, which it currently exports mainly to Ukraine and to or via Russia.—AFP