DUSHANBE , July 14, Asia-Plus - Turkmenistan ’s participation in the geological surveys and development of oil and gas fields in Afghanistan ’s bordering districts was in the focus of the first meeting of the Turkmen-Afghan intergovernmental commission for trade, economic and technical cooperation.

Turkmen Minister of Economy and Development Gurbanmyrad Gurbanmyradov and Afghan Economic Minister Mohammad Jalil Shams headed delegations of their countries at Friday’s meeting.

The participants in the meeting highlighted interaction in the fuel and energy sphere, the press service of the Turkmen government said.

Turkmenistan , which is delivering electricity to Afghanistan at privileged prices, plans to expand its power grids towards Afghanistan , the press service said.

The participants in the meeting discussed the increase of electricity deliveries to the Afghan city of Herat . Three investment projects with total worth of 9.8 million U.S. dollars are aimed at the purpose. They envisage the reconstruction of the power grid in the Turgundy settlement in the Herat province, the construction of electric transmission lines in the Balh province and on the route from Serhetabat to Herat .

The Afghan Ministry of Energy and Water is the ordering customer of the above-mentioned facilities.

Besides, the participants in the meeting considered prospects for the conjunction of the Turkmen and Afghan railways.

In particular, Turkmenistan offered to fund the construction of a railway stretch from Atamurat to the border with Afghanistan .

The interlocutors spoke in favour of closer contacts in agriculture, education and public health.

The members of the commission called on to increase the number of Afghan students in higher education establishments of Turkmenistan and supported further free-of-charge medical aid to the population of Afghan bordering districts.