AVAZA, Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan plans to secure within a few months all the necessary funding to complete the construction of an $8 billion natural gas pipeline to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, the project's chief executive said on Wednesday.
The Central Asian nation is building the TAPI pipeline to diversify its gas exports, which have mostly gone to China.
"We expect the financing to be completed in the third quarter, within the next three-four months," Muhammetmyrat Amanov, chief executive of TAPI Pipeline company, told an industry conference in the Turkmen resort of Avaza.
He said his company was in talks with several export credit agencies such as Italy's SACE and France's Hermes, as well as Greek export credit insurer ECIO.
TAPI hopes to open the pipeline next year, although security risks, including an attack this week by unknown gunmen on TAPI mine-clearance workers in which six were killed, has raised doubts among analysts about whether it will be finished on time.
Amanov did not say how much money TAPI has already raised or mention security issues such as this week's attack.
TAPI said in a brief statement on Tuesday that work continued on schedule despite the attack.
Turkmenistan says close to securing TAPI pipeline financing
Turkmenistan says close to securing TAPI pipeline financing
- TAPI hopes to open the pipeline next year, although security risks.
- Central Asian nation is building the TAPI pipeline to diversify its gas exports.
Related
Norway launches probe of Middle East diplomat and husband over Epstein links
- Mona Juul resigned from her position as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq
- Juul and her husband Terje Rod-Larsen played key roles in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which led to the Oslo Accords
OSLO: Norwegian police said Monday they have launched an “aggravated corruption” investigation against a high-profile diplomat, Mona Juul, and her husband Terje Rod-Larsen, over the couple’s links to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The police economic crime unit Okokrim said in statement that the probe began last week and that an Oslo residence was searched on Monday, as well as a residence belonging to a witness.
“We have launched an investigation to determine whether any criminal offenses have been committed. We are facing a comprehensive and, by all accounts lengthy investigation,” Okokrim chief Pal Lonseth, said.
Juul, 66, and Rod-Larsen, 78, played key roles in the secret Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which led to the Oslo Accords of the early 1990s.
Epstein left $10 million in his will to the couple’s two children, according to Norwegian media.
“Among other things, Okokrim will investigate whether she received benefits in connection to her position,” the statement said.
On Sunday, the foreign ministry announced that Juul had resigned from her position as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq.
“Juul’s contact with the convicted abuser Epstein has shown a serious lapse in judgment,” Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in connection to the announcement.
She had already been temporarily suspended last week pending an internal investigation by the ministry into her alleged links to Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
Norway’s political and royal circles have been thrust into the eye of the Epstein storm, including the CEO of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende.
Former prime minister Thorbjorn Jagland, is also being investigated for “aggravated corruption” over links to Epstein while he was chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee — which awards the Nobel Peace Prize — and as secretary general of the Council of Europe.
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit has also come under scrutiny for her relationship with Epstein, which on Friday she said she “deeply regretted.”
On Monday, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store voiced support for the establishing of an independent commission set up by Parliament, to fully examine the nature of the ties between these figures and Epstein.
