UPI: India to join TAP Pipeline

NEW DELHI, Oct. 24 (UPI) — India says it will join the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan gas pipeline project in November.

The move would be a major boost to the nation’s energy security, a spokesman for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said. TAP would become TAPI after India joins the project.

The Asian Development Bank has backed the project, which is aimed at importing natural gas from the Central Asian nation to meet India’s growing energy requirements.

The ADB has called for a meeting of the steering committee of the project between Nov. 28 and 29 in Islamabad, Pakistan, in which India formally would become a partner in the project. Following India’s formal induction, the four member nations are expected to sign a Project Heads of Agreement and a Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement.

Until now, India had observer status in the project.

The spokesman said the proposed pipeline would have a capacity of 33 billion cubic meters per year. The $4 billion, 1,680-kilometer pipeline will run from the Daulatabad gas field to Afghanistan. From there it will be constructed from Herat to Kandahar, and then via Quetta and Multan in Pakistan.

The pipeline faces logistical roadblocks, however, as it runs through Afghanistan and Pakistan, where security is likely to be a major concern.

Hasht-e-Sobh: Paper urges Afghan government to take advantage of ECO session

Text of editorial in Dari entitled: “ECO, a chance to show the capacity” by Afghan independent secular daily newspaper Hasht-e Sobh on 17 October

The ancient city of Herat will be the host of the foreign ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization [ECO] member countries tomorrow [17 Oct]. This in itself is a refreshing news and gives hope for new events because it is the first time that such an important event takes place not in the capital but in one of the provinces of the country, not a provincial place but rather a city when compared to [other parts] of Afghanistan. The people of Herat, who have been preparing themselves for this event of hospitality since sometime now, should be surely happy for this event. Herat, in the proximity of Iran and Turkmenistan, by holding of the ECO meeting shows that there is relative peace voluntarily ensured by the people. If this is the beginning of similar conferences in other provinces, people in other provinces can be hopeful that everything will not remain limited to Kabul.

The successful holding of this [ECO] meeting can reassure the people of Afghanistan who are used to reports of security incidents, war and suicide attacks…[ellipsis as published]. This meeting in Herat will also give hope to the ECO member states and all the participants. Of course, Afghanistan has less chance to take advantage of this opportunity due to different reasons including economic problems, insecurity and other issues because the ECO meeting, though with the title of economic cooperation, is not only an economic organization due to its dependency and relations with different world powers. One should not expect political reservations not to exist in ECO. Especially since developments in Afghanistan, whether positive or negative, have their own specific impact on the region and the world.

What is important is that Afghan officials should convince the rest of the [ECO] member countries that the current process in Afghanistan is a positive one. Afghan officials should also make them accept that increase in security incidents and an intensification of the crisis will not remain limited to Afghanistan alone. It is a big achievement that Afghanistan hosts the meeting, and based on common traditions, it is taking the rotating presidency of the organization and it can therefore include important issues in the current meeting. The encouraging role of the Herati people in paving the way for holding this meeting can be an incentive to the rest of people on the condition that it should not take a regional shape and colour. Herat city and its people should appear as a model for Afghanistan and its people.

The concern over the possible disruption of [security] by the enemies of the people of Afghanistan is not inappropriate. However, we hope that security forces, taking into consideration the particular importance of this meeting, keep in mind all aspects of this gathering and do not give the enemies the chance to undermine this favourable opportunity.

We hope the government takes the necessary advantage of attending the meeting and its result and pays attention to the important position and role of the Afghan people in the reconstruction process and progress [of the country].

The holding of this meeting in the ancient city of Herat at least gives the obvious message that one cannot be a good host for such meetings without security, progress and reconstruction. Each of the participant countries is trying to adopt a stance in line with its own interests. It is the current and future strength of each country that determines its position and role at this meeting. Power and money, not goodwill or mischief, play key and vital roles in this equation like any other equations in international relations.

[Description of Source: Kabul Hasht-e-Sobh in Dari. OSC SAP20071018950020 0000 GMT 17 Oct 07 ]

Reuters: Regional trade conference underway in Afghanistan

Wed Oct 17, 2007 9:26am BST
By Sayed Salahuddin

HERAT, Afghanistan, Oct 17 (Reuters) – A regional conference on trade among nations in the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) began on Wednesday in Afghanistan, the first such major gathering to be held for decades in the war-torn country.

Iran, Turkey and Pakistan are the founding members of the organisation, which was set up in 1985 and now includes seven other regional nations, Afghanistan among them.

In addition to investment, transit facilitation and trade, officials from the group are also expected to discuss exploration and export of gas and oil, said an Afghan official.

ECO member Turkmenistan for years has been keen to export its gas to Pakistan and beyond through Afghanistan, but the multi-billion dollar project has been held up due to insecurity in the country.

Afghanistan has been facing a resurgent Taliban-led insurgency.

Lying on the old Silk Road, Afghanistan serves as a bridge between some ECO member countries and has rich copper and iron reserves and some precious stones.

It is also a consumer market for products of some of the regional countries and its annual trade with them reaches to some $4 billion since the Taliban’s ouster in 2001, according to Afghan government estimates.

Since the Taliban’s overthrow, the country has not seen any major foreign and local investment, largely due to lack of infrastructure, rampant corruption and the increased insurgency in the past two years.

As part of a move to encourage local traders, the Afghan government recently abolished taxes on exports of goods from the country.

The four-day trade conference is being held in the western city of Herat, regarded as one of the safest areas of the country, which has largely prospered since the removal of the Taliban government.

Security was tight across the city on Wednesday. President Hamid Karzai, who has escaped a series of assassination attempts by suspected Taliban members, is expected to address the conference, Afghan officials said.

In addition to Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, the ECO also includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

IRNA: Afghanistan hosts 17th meeting of ECO council of ministers

Tehran, Oct 16, IRNA
Iran-Afghanistan-ECO
The council of ministers (COM) of the economic cooperation organization (ECO), comprising foreign ministers of the ten member states, will hold its 17th annual meeting in Herat, Afghanistan on 20th October, 2007, ECO information center said in a press release on Tuesday.
Heads of ECO’s regional institutions and specialized agencies as well as representatives of international organizations will also participate in the meetings.
The COM is the highest decision-making body of ECO. It will review progress made in different sectors since the previous COM meeting held in Baku in May 2006.These would include trade and transport, energy and environment, industry and agriculture as well as counter-narcotics and trans-national crimes.
Important priorities in these fields are implementation of the Transit Transport Framework Agreement (TTFA) and the ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA), operationalization of the ECO Container and Passenger Trains on Istanbul-Almaty route and the ECO Trade and Development Bank, the inter-connection of power systems of member states as well as progress on the ECO Reinsurance Company and the ECO Science Foundation.
Five sectoral ministerial meeting of the ECO states have been held since the last COM. These were on environment, agriculture, interior, industry and finance. Reports of these meetings and the follow-up action taken would come up for discussion in Herat.
The COM would also review the performance of the council of permanent representatives (CPR) and study its reports. The CPR, comprising the ambassadors of member states, meets once every month at the ECO secretariat in Tehran. It takes decisions on important matters of urgent nature on behalf of COM.
ECO’s initiatives to establish new regional institutions would be high on the agenda of COM. These would include the ECO Regional Institute for Standardization, Conformity Assessment, Accreditation and Metrology (RISCAM), the ECO Veterinary Commission and the ECO Regional Center for Risk Management of Natural Disasters. The organization is keen to accelerate progress on the Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedures for ECO Businessmen, and the Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investment (APPI). The COM would consider these and related issues.
Important administrative matters, including appointments to senior positions in the Secretariat, the Secretariat’s budget and issues relating to participation in various ECO events are also on the COMls agenda.
ECO has a modest role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. A project worth dlrs 1.3 million for the rehabilitation of the Deh Mazang Park and maintenance of Kabul Zoo has been initiated in March this year. Some more, small to medium size, projects in the health, education and transport sectors are under consideration. Herat offers a welcome opportunity to enhance ECO’s role in Afghanistan’s reconstruction. Pakistan and Turkey have contributed dlrs five million each and Iran around dlrs 400,000 to ECO’s Special Fund for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. More pledges of financial support are expected in Herat.
Afghanistan is a key member of the ECO, and an important land bridge between the founding member countries and the Central Asian ECO states. It plays an active role in the ECO. In order to commemorate the 17th COM meeting being held in Herat, the Afghan government will name a central park in Herat as the ECO park. It also proposes to shift the secretariat of the ECO chamber of commerce and industry for Kabul to Herat.
The 17th COM takes place amid important developments on the regional and international plans, it provides a useful opportunity for the foreign ministers of neighbouring regional states to hold bilateral meetings. While in Herat, the ministers are also expected to call on the senior leadership of Afghanistan.
The next meeting of the council of ministers as well as the ECO summit would be held in Pakistan in 2008.
1430/2322/1412

Radio Sahar: Afghan policeman killed in clash with drug traffickers in Herat Province

Excerpt from report by Afghan female-orientated community Radio Sahar on 8 October

[Presenter] A clash has occurred between policemen and drug traffickers in Koshk-e Kohna District of Herat Province. The Border Brigade No 4 reports that the clash broke out in Kolaray village of Koshk-e Kohna District last night [7 October].

[Correspondent] A number of security forces of the Border Brigade No 4 were ambushed by drug traffickers while patrolling in the Kolaray village of Koshk-e Kohna District yesterday. Col Hamidollah, head of staff of the brigade, reports that one policeman has been killed and another wounded in the clash between the two sides. He added that two smugglers were also injured in the skirmish.

According to the head of staff of the brigade, the security forces managed to seize 80 kg of narcotics after the clash. [Passage omitted: official's remarks, repetition]

This is happening at a time when the security forces confiscated one tonne of narcotics in the centre of the city yesterday. The border brigade also seized 100 kg of narcotics and killed a drug trafficker in a separate operation in Ghowrian District of Herat Province a few days ago.

The government officials claim that the drug dealers are trying to use Herat as a route for smuggling drugs into Turkmenistan and Iran, which have borders with the province.

[Description of Source: Herat Radio Sahar in Dari -- local independent radio station in Herat run mainly by women. OSC IAP20071008950132 Herat Radio Sahar in Dari 1230 GMT 08 Oct 07]

AIP: Herat Police kill drug smuggler near Turkmenistan border

Herat, 6 October: One [drug] smuggler has been killed and four others arrested along with 100 kg of opium in [western] Afghanistan.

Speaking to Afghan Islamic Press, the commander of 4th border brigade of Herat police, Gen Rahmatollah Sapi, said that one [drug] smuggler was killed and four others were arrested along with around 100 kg of opium in three different incidents in Koshk-e Kohna and Ghowrian districts yesterday.

He added: “The first incident took place in Koshk-e Kohna district during which one person was arrested along with a weapon while smuggling opium to Turkmenistan.”

“The two other incidents took place in Ghowrian district at a time when the police encountered the drug smugglers and clashed with them,” Sapi added.

“One drug smuggler was killed in the clash and three others were arrested,” he said.

It is worth pointing out that clashes mostly take place between the police and drug smugglers in these border districts.

[Description of Source: Peshawar Afghan Islamic Press in Pashto -- Peshawar-based agency, staffed by Afghans. The agency used to have good contacts with Taliban leadership; however, since the fall of the Taliban regime, it now describes itself as independent and self-financing. OSC IAP20071006950019 Peshawar Afghan Islamic Press in Pashto 1916 GMT 06 Oct 07]