KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Kabul is talking with banking officials regarding funding needed for a natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan, an Afghan economic official said.
Delegates from India, Pakistan and Afghanistan met Dec. 11 with representatives in Turkmenistan to sign a framework agreement on the intergovernmental Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline.
TAPI is a Western-backed rival to an Iranian pipeline from the South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf. A feasibility study for the pipeline was financed by the Asian Development Bank.
Afghan Foreign Ministry's Economy Department head Azizullah Omar told the Trend news agency that Kabul was talking with the ADB on financing for the gas pipeline.
"It is assumed that $3 billion will be required for the construction of the pipeline in Afghanistan's territory," he told the news agency. "In 2005, the ADB agreed to partially fund the project."
Critics note that Afghanistan doesn't have the infrastructure needed to host the pipeline and security in the country is a major concern.
Kabul said it would commit about 7,000 troops to guard the pipeline when construction starts in 2012, however.
