Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Dec. 4 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmenistan is a country of huge potential. This factor along with a huge potential for cooperation will serve its implementation in the public interest, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a meeting in Astana with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov, local media reported on Saturday.
The "Turkmenistan" newspaper reported that the meeting was held in Astana within the summit of the OSCE member-countries one of these days.
Speaking to Merkel, the Turkmen president noted the importance of the active position of Germany for the successful implementation of the EU Strategy in Central Asia, one of the priorities of which is cooperation in the energy sector.
The article says that Merkel appreciated the initiative of official Ashgabat in the security of energy transit, general disarmament, as well as resolving other pressing problems of global development.
"Turkmenistan is committed to the principle of diversifying its energy supplies to world markets. It is open for cooperation in this sphere", the president said.
They also exchanged views on various issues of regional and international policies of mutual interest. The most important areas of partnership between the two countries include the energy sector, industry, transport and communications, agriculture and others.
Merkel confirmed the high interest of business circles of Germany and Europe as a whole to increase its presence in the promising Turkmen market.
According to the Turkmen Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations, more than 50 enterprises with German capital, as well as about 100 investment projects and contracts with German companies were registered.
In particular, some German companies modernized the largest oil refinery in the city of Turkmenbashi on the Caspian Sea. The loans of the leading German banks were used.
Such companies as Mannesman, MAN, Bentek, Wintershall, Siemens, Unionmatex GmbH proved themselves.
Airbus, Cifal, Thyssen Krupp, Knauf, Goetzpartners, Inhar, Textina, interested in the Turkmen market, may join this list. In April 2009 the Turkmen government signed a long memorandum with one of the leading traders of natural gas on the EU market - RWE AG, which is carrying out exploration in the Turkmen Caspian shelf.
Ashgabat actively states about its right of direct access to Europe, so far closed by supplies through Russian pipelines and Iran. In late 2009, the country first gained access to the alternative thanks to the gas pipeline to China.