Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, April 25 / Trend H.Hasanov /
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received the chairman of the board of directors of group of Turkish companies Nata Holding Namık Tanik, the Turkmen government said on Wednesday.
'During the meeting the president and his guest discussed prospects for cooperation and considered the possible participation of Nata Holding in joint investment projects', a statement said.
Informing Berdimuhamedov on the work carried out in Turkmenistan by the largest construction holding, the businessman 'expressed the willingness of his company to continue to actively participate in new projects, energetically involving all their experience and potential'.
'Noting the exceptional attractiveness of the Turkmen market and the favourable conditions created for foreign partners, Tanik expressed his company's desire to further enhance the full interaction with the dynamically developing Turkmen state', the Turkmen government said.
According to the Turkish media, in early 2012 the president of the branch network Nata Construction Tourism Trade and Industry Co. Yapı Namik Tanik called his Turkish colleagues to invest in Turkmenistan, stressing that "there are no difficulties with respect to payment of the work undertaken by the government of Turkmenistan".
In particular the Cihan newspaper, recalling the words of a businessman, reported that he denounced the "rumours about the untimely payment" by the Turkmen side.
According to the information, the company successfully constructed 180 bridges in Turkmenistan. The total cost of the project covering the country's five regions is estimated at $287.5 million. The company plans to build a steel bridge over the Karakum Canal in Ashgabat. The project will be completed by late 2012 and will cost roughly $23 million.
The company is currently building the longest bridge in Turkmenistan in the north-western city of Serdar, which will be 320 metres long.
The contractual and legal basis for cooperation between the two countries is based on more than 100 different agreements at the interstate, intergovernmental and interdepartmental levels.
The intergovernmental Turkmen-Turkish commission for economic cooperation has been operating since 2008. Agenda of its meetings include further building mutually beneficial relations, including in energy sector, agricultural sector, transit and transport, science, technology and investment sectors.
Ankara has expressed its interest in supply of the Caspian energy resources to Europe through the Caspian Sea and Turkey. Ashgabat also wants to involve Turkish companies in the construction of the Caspian Sea Resort Avaza.