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Central Asian Nations begin working on the Landbridge
21 October 2013
Oct. 20 (EIRNS)—With about a year left before the bulk of the foreign troops are scheduled to leave Afghanistan, preparations are afoot in some Central Asian nations to look toward the future. Turkmenistan and Kazakstan have begun to engage China for exploration and transportation of their oil and gas, raising the prospect of establishing a landbridge eastward into the most populated parts of Asia. There are indications that the Central Asian nations are now planning to develop an interconnecting transportation and energy network among themselves. According to the Tajik Foreign Ministry, construction of a Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan railway were discussed at a meeting of the foreign ministers of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, Hamrokhon Zarifi and Rashid Meredov, in Ashgabat on Oct 17. They pointed out that the railroad could become an important link in international transport traffic among the Central Asian countries and would generate favorable conditions for improving the living standards of the population. Also discussed in the meeting was the development of Tajikistan’s hydropower potential. Tajik hydropower potential is close to 70,000 MW, which is more than three times the electrical power that the Central Asian powers consume now. Tajik Foreign Minister Zarifi noted that setting up of Central Asia/South Asia Regional Electricity Market (CASAREM) will contribute to the development of electricity trade between the countries of Central and those of South Asia—Pakistan in particular. He also proposed setting up the first phase of the CASAREM, which would focus on establishment of necessary infrastructure and systems for power transmission. [RMA] |