Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Dec. 27 / Trend H.Hasanov /
Turkmen Leader Gurbangulu Berdimuhamedov approved the membership of Turkmenistan in several intergovernmental commissions, in particular the Turkmen-Ukrainian and the Turkmen-Bulgarian commissions, a source in the government reported.
Kiev recently announced its intention to expand cooperation in the transport and communications sectors and in urban development. In addition, Ukrainian enterprises and companies have expressed the willingness to participate in the implementation of Turkmenistan's major international infrastructure projects which are of national importance. These include the main East-West gas pipeline, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI), gas compressor stations, and others.
Regarding the East-West project, the state concern, Turkmengaz is the general contractor on the 1,000-kilometer domestic pipeline. Interconnection is required for a bunch of fields in the east to the western part bordering the Caspian Sea, from where it may be possible to reach global markets in Europe via the Caspian Sea and Russia on the coast of the pond.
At the same time, the TAPI project is undergoing a resuscitation phase, although its implementation is still hampered given the tense situation with the Afghanistan transit point. Ashgabat made notable efforts to revitalize the project. In particular, Turkmenistan proposed UN-sponsored inter-Afghan peace talks.
The intergovernmental Turkmen-Bulgarian commission was established for purposes of cooperation in energy, transport, construction, transport, communications and tourism.
Ashgabat and Sofia pay particular attention to the question of Turkmen gas supplies, involving volumes of up to two billion cubic meters. The Bulgarian leadership reported that gas supplies maybe carried out via the existing gas network until the realization of the Nabucco project.
Turkmenistan supplies small quantities of fuel to Iran's border with Turkey, which could make the transit to Bulgaria. Ashgabat has always stressed that it ensures delivery of its raw materials exclusively from its borders, and further transit schemes must be resolved between the owners of communications.
Turkmenistan also expressed interest in participating with Bulgarian companies in the development of the Turkmen sector in the Caspian Sea. Bulgarian partners have been invited to participate in building the North-South Railway Corridor.
Productive cooperation in the tourism industry is not excluded, given big plans by Turkmenistan to develop the industry and the vast experience of Bulgaria, known as a major center of world tourism. In this connection there is special interest focused on the Caspian Sea coast project, with the aim to build an international beach resort, Avaza.