27.05.2008 (TDH) Turkmenistan’s profound economic potential and the Turkmen leader’s constructive policy pivoting on mutually advantageous co-operation, steadfast adherence to the ideas of global peace, progress and advance, the balance of the common and national interests, awesome responsibility for the commitments undertaken enjoy great popularity, are recognized and supported by the political and business circles worldwide opening the gates for establishment of successful and firm fruitful contacts in various fields.
This fact was clearly evidenced this week by the visit of the EU representative delegation to Ashgabat that resulted in issuing the Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation between Turkmenistan and the European Union.
During the meeting Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the EU senior officials stated that both Turkmenistan and the European Union regarded each other as the strategic partners standing ready to intensify the diverse dialogue that was brought up to a higher level nowadays. In this context, EU Energy Commissioner Mr. Andris Piebalgs put emphasis on the necessity of achieving the balance between the high level of political co-operation and an economic component of co-operation, which had the profound potential. In other words, the energy issues put on the agenda of the current talks served as the foundation for building the Turkmenistan-EU relations on the principles of goodwill, transparency and mutual respect as well as the economic benefit.
This process was started last autumn during the Turkmen leader’s visit to the EU Headquarters in Brussels and the agreements achieved then. Addressing the audiences of numerous meetings Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stated that Europe was a priority of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy strategy and the country was ready to use its profound economic potential for the global peace and development most effectively, to develop equal co-operation with all those sincerely interested in it – from a company to a large international organisation, from a neighbour to a state situated in the other part of the planet.
This idea was immediately understood by the European community that was used to fitting any proposal and initiative to the process of globalizing so popular in the Old World. The constructive initiatives and proposals, the concrete projects in energy sector, the spheres of transport and communication, tourism, culture, education healthcare, chemical industry as well as the endeavours to apply advanced technologies and scientific and technical achievements that backed the Turkmen leader’s political declarations had facilitated this process.
The Memorandum of Understating on Energy Cooperation between Turkmenistan and the European Union signed in Ashgabat became an important step towards creating the legal framework of Turkmenistan-EU co-operation. Prioritization of oil and gas sector is not occasional. Europe’s increasing needs in energy resources stipulates its interest in Turkmenistan as one of the world’s energy exporters and the key players on the world energy market.
An argument for this statement is Turkmenistan’s abundant raw material resources. The potential reserves of Turkmenistan’s resources are preliminary estimated at over 24.6 trillion cubic metres. The riches of the soil of the Turkmen land are vividly illustrated by the virgin deposits in the Caspian Sea, on the right bank of the Amu Darya River, in the southeastern region with the Southern Yoloten-Osman group of gas fields. Speaking at the ceremony of putting the gas compressor station constructed by Belgian ENEX in the Dovletabad gas field into operation President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that Turkmenistan attributed the increase in natural gas production to this region, which proved the country’s profound economic potential, its status of a world’s energy producer.
The thick gas discharge with the daily flow rate of about 1.2 million cubic metres was received when testing exploratory well 15 in the Western Garajaovlak field in the Ahal Velayat proves the Turkmen scientists’ forecast about not-yet-discovered rich fuel resources, which will soon appear on the geological map of Turkmenistan.
The long-term ‘gas’ agreements signed with Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China, the strategy of accelerated development of the national fuel and energy sector stipulating for the substantial investments in technology modernization of the oil and gas enterprises, construction of high-technology industrial facilities, the future and ongoing projects on the establishment of transport and energy infrastructures including modernization of the existing international gas pipelines and construction of the transnational oil and gas mains – all that provide the vast opportunities for co-operating with the European business companies as well as builds a reliable platform for the country’s integration into the global economic system.
