Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Aug. 5 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, received Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at his residence to discuss prospects for further development of cooperation, the Turkmen government said today.
"Significant potential for intensification of a mutually beneficial partnership in the whole spectrum, including trade, economic and energy along with the transport and communications sectors was stressed," the Turkmen government said.
The sides expressed confidence that Turkmen-Turkish relations will continue flourishing for the benefit of the two friendly countries and people.
High-ranking delegations of the two countries arrived in Iran to attend the inauguration ceremony of Hassan Rouhani as Iran's newly elected president.
Last month, Ashgabat reported that negotiations on the implementation of a project of exporting Turkmen gas to the Turkish markets became more active.
"It should be stressed that earlier the negotiation process on the European vector of Turkmen gas supplies was conducted with several foreign companies," the Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary state news service said. "But at present, negotiations on the implementation of a long term project of exporting Turkmen gas to the Turkish markets became more active."
The negotiations are being held on the basis of a framework agreement on the delivery of Turkmen natural gas to Turkey signed following Turkish President Abdullah Gul's state visit in May.
'Turkey shows a strong interest in transiting Turkmen natural gas, Gul stated in Ashgabat. He also noted the importance of gas and electric power projects', the article says.
Ankara periodically expresses interest in exporting Caspian energy resources to Europe via Turkey. This issue has been on the agenda since the mid-nineties. A 300 kilometre pipeline from Turkmenistan to the Azerbaijani coast via the Caspian Sea is considered the best way to get Turkmen gas to Europe. After flowing through the Caucasus, Turkmen fuel can enter Turkey which borders with European customers.
The Trans-Caspian project could become part of several large scale projects such as Nabucco, AGRI, Tanap. Ankara is an active participant. The Turkmen leadership believes that the consent of those sides Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, whose territory is covered by the project, is sufficient for laying a pipeline through the Caspian Sea, the legal status of which has not yet been determined.
Azerbaijan has expressed its readiness to open its territory, transit routes and infrastructure to the project, SOCAR representatives reported.
Turkmen-EU energy cooperation issues were touched upon during the visit of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to Ashgabat in January 2011.
In September 2011, the European Union mandated the start of negotiations for the preparation of an agreement between the EU, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan on the Trans Caspian project.