Russian President Dmitry Medvedev promised to invest “hundreds of millions of dollars” in joint energy projects in Central Asia and called on regional powers to take responsibility for peace and security in the region.
Speaking after a quadripartite meeting with the leaders of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan in Dushanbe on Friday Mr. Medvedev lamented on the lack of progress on economic projects agreed earlier.
“There’s a whole range of projects that have been on the table for a long time but have seen no movement forward and should be implemented,” Mr. Medvedev said, referring to the CASA-1000 project to export electricity from Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline.
“It is time to move from words to deeds,” the Russian leader said, adding that Russia is ready to invest “hundreds of millions of dollars” in the regional projects. “But for it to happen, necessary organisational decisions should be taken first [and] we have to be invited.”
It was the third four-way summit of the Presidents of Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tajikistan.
A joint statement signed by the four leaders “welcome Russia's interest” in the TAPI pipeline project and calls for accelerated construction of the CASA-1000 power lines.
Addressing the media after the quadripartite summit Mr. Medvedev urged regional solution to the problems of Central Asia.
“I think my colleagues share the view that responsibility for everything that is happening in the region will ultimately lie on our shoulders… Those partners who are helping us solve various regional problems are very important and many things depend on them, but they are not regional powers. Therefore we must… strengthen cooperation among our states in order, I'd like to stress again, to ensure peace and security in the region through the efforts of our countries.”
Mr. Medvedev hailed Pakistan's anti-terror efforts.
“We welcome the efforts make by neighbouring friendly countries. I'd like also to note that what Pakistan is doing to fight terrorists and their infrastructure is very important. We hope this process will continue and will bring results.”
The joint statement issued by the four supported more active involvement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, a Russia-led defence bloc of former Soviet states, in the fight against terrorism, extremism and trans-border crime.
In another success for Moscow Tajikistan's President Imomali Rakhmon agreed to extend Russia's lease of a military base in Tajikistan by 49 years. The Defence Ministries of the two countries are to sign the extension pact in early 2012.
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