The State Department outlined Washington's positions on Afghanistan and the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline
President Biden stated that the United States will work to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a threat to either neighboring states or other countries.
To achieve stability in Afghanistan, it is necessary that the Taliban does not allow the activities of terrorist groups on its territory, recognizes the rights of all segments of the population, ethnic minorities, women, children, etc., and revitalizes the country's economy in order to create income for its citizens.
This is what the Assistant Secretary of State of the United States in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu, who arrived in Ashgabat on a visit, said at a briefing at the American embassy on Sunday, answering a question about how the States will participate in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Turkmenistan, like many other countries, continues to support and provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. Over the past year, the international community has collectively spent about $3 billion to overcome the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the diplomat noted.
At the same time, he stressed that in the future it is necessary to focus no longer on the supply of humanitarian aid, but on promoting the economy of Afghanistan, establishing production in this country, which will raise the standard of living of its population.
"That is why USAID has resumed work in Afghanistan to support small and medium–sized businesses, programs to promote the development of agriculture, healthcare and education," Donald Lu said.
The US Assistant Secretary of State also answered the question about the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline, the topic of which is again being discussed in the media. He mentioned that at the beginning of his career he worked as the US charge d'affaires in Baku, and that the issue of the supply of Turkmen gas through Azerbaijan to Europe was discussed both then and in general for more than twenty years.
Now gas prices are very high in Europe and the project has regained relevance (although prices are high "now", and the gas pipeline will be built far "not now" - ed.).
Donald Lu expressed very diplomatically that it would be beneficial for the Turkmen people to have as many opportunities as possible for natural gas supplies in different directions, and the United States is ready to help in this in any possible way.
Finally, reducing the political degree of discussion that had crept up, which was provoked by the question of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline, Lu joked that the United States itself was not going to buy Turkmen gas, since they have a lot of their own.
ORIENT news
Photos and videos of ORIENT
