Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, May 23 / Trend G. Hasanov /
Austria and Turkmenistan operate over a project of the inter-governmental agreement on mutual protection of investments, official Turkmen source said.
EU has recently stated about readiness to sign temporary trade agreement with Ashgabat that was rejected several times earlier. Experts said that it is connected with willing of Europeans to get access to energy carriers of the country. Turkmenistan is considered as one of key natural gas suppliers after Azerbaijan for discussed project of Nabucco pipeline construction to Austria via Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.
Official visit of the Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Vienna in late November 2008 gave dynamics to relations of both countries. The talks were held with Austrian oil and gas company OMV head Wolfgang Ruttenstorfer. This company enters Nabucco consortium. Laying of new pipelines from Caspian region to Europe was discussed at the meeting with Austrian President Heinz Fisher. Fisher plans to visit Turkmenistan. Austria welcomes Turkmen position regarding diversification of hydrocarbon stuff supplies on the world market and ready to promote that these plans will be implemented effectively, Fisher said.
Austria was co-author of UN resolution project on security of transit of energy carriers initiated by Turkmenistan. One of these days commercial advisor, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber member Olaf Auer was on working visit in Ashgabat. "Austrian businessmen closely examine prospective Turkmen market," Olaf said in his interview with state news service Turkmen Dovlet Habarlari.
"Turkmenistan is the country with great economic opportunities and resource potential. It is very useful to develop trade relations and business partnership with Turkmenistan. Austria has high technologies recognized world wide, know-how that we can suggest to dynamically developing Turkmenistan," he said.
Olaf Auer is vice-president of Austrian-Turkmen society. Joint cultural project - symphonic orchestra Galkinish was realized under aegis of this society. Its presentation was recently held in Ashgabat.
"With regarding to Turkmen-Austrian orchestra Galkinish, I am sure that upcoming concert will be prologue for long and successful inter-state dialogue that has a new impulse of development now," Austrian high-ranking representative said.
Diplomatic relations between Turkmenistan and Austria were established in November 1992. Roughly 7 inter-departmental, inter-governmental and inter-state documents were signed within this period. Austrian companies participate in realization of over 20 Turkmen projects in construction and reconstruction of national economy facilities, exploration and production of hydrocarbon resources.
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