Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr U. Ismayilova / Turkmenistan's democratization of society and turn to market economy will positively affect the development of bilateral economic and political relations between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, a member of the parliamentary commission on economic policy, MP Vahid Ahmadov, said on 25 September.
"Turkmenistan [as a result of transit via Azerbaijan] will be able to dramatically increase its gas export income, taking into consideration the fact that Russia receives more revenue from Turkmenistan's gas than Turkmenistan itself," Ahmadov said.
Turkmenistan's President, Gurbanguli Berdimukhammedov, speaking publicly for the first time in the USA, announced plans for the reformation of Turkmenistan's economy and democratization of the country's society.
"The reform program includes both further transformation and modernization of the economy and perfection of our State institutes and social life, including further democratization of society," the President said.
Turkmenistan is a rather rich country, relationships with which can only positively affect Azerbaijan's economy, Ahmadov said.
"In the case of relationships between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan improving, the issue on the Caspian Sea's status is likely to be resolved," he said.
According to the MP, after a turn to market economy Turkmenistan will be able to assist in the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline, which is the second most important project of the EU.