Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Sept. 26 / Trend , H.Hasanov/
The European Union's (EU) high interest in Turkmenistan is due to several factors, including the huge resource and economic potential and its reputation as a reliable and responsible partner, said Javier Solana, the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy.
The EU senior representative said this at a meeting with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in New York, which is hosting the regular session of the UN General Assembly.
Brussels has recently sought to secure direct access to the Caspian energy resources and connects the Nabucco gas pipeline project with it. Especially it has become evident since last year's winter, when the dispute between Russia and Ukraine in the gas sector caused the euro zone to be on the verge of an energy crisis.
Berdimuhamedov and Solana have discussed the prospects for expanding cooperation between Turkmenistan and the EU as part of a common goal, designed to ensure global security, including energy, Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper wrote on Sept. 26.
Last spring, Turkmenistan and the EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in the energy field, which signaled the beginning of constructive interaction.
Berdimuhamedov emphasized that the European direction was and remains one of the priorities of the foreign policy of Turkmenistan. Signaling willingness to continue a constructive dialogue, began in recent years, the Turkmen leader said that the efforts and opportunities meet the mutual interest of the parties.
Previously, the Turkmen leader noted that the country ranks fourth in the world on natural gas reserve, saying that the country supports diversification of energy routes. Official Ashgabat confirmed its desire to join the Nabucco project.
In New York, the parties also talked about the possibilities of trade-economic and humanitarian ties, primarily in the field of education, which the most important vector of development of the country, Berdimuhamedov said.
Solana said that the neutral status of Turkmenistan is a positive factor in the political climate in Central Asia, and he stressed the interest of the European Union in establishing relationships within the regional partnership.
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