Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov on Friday to hold talks in Moscow and discuss bilateral cooperation in economy and particularly in the energy sector, RIA Novosti reported referring to the press service of the Russian state's head.
"The two leaders to discuss cooperation in trade and economic sphere, and also consider specific measures aimed at further expansion and diversification of trade," - said in the Kremlin.
Working visit by Berdymuhamedov takes place on the invitation of Russian President. This year, Medvedev and Berdymukhamedov met on September 3 at the meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of States in Dushanbe, reminded the press service. At the informal meeting of CIS leaders in Moscow this week, the president of Turkmenistan did not attend.
POSITIVE TRADE
For ten months this year, bilateral trade volume (excluding gas supply) amounted to 990.3 million USD (32.9%). The value of Russian exports increased by 35.4% (871.5 million), imports - by 16.8% (118.8 million dollars), the press service said.
"An important coordinating role played by intergovernmental Turkmen-Russian commission for economic cooperation (Russian Co - Viktor Zubkov, Turkmen - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov.) Fifth meeting of the IGC was held last November in Ashgabat," - said in a release.
As expected, the meeting will be touched upon more effective inter-regional cooperation - considering the experience of Tatarstan, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan region in expanding contacts with Turkmen partners.
GAS LINES
According to the press service, separately during the meeting will be highlighted the issues of cooperation in the energy sector. The Heads of State will also consider the prospects of promoting cooperation in the electricity sector, in transport and telecommunications sectors.
Cooperation between two countries in the energy sector has a traditional character - Russia is one of the main buyers of Turkmen gas. Recently, however, Ashgabat increasing interaction with a number of countries in this field on the background of the fact that "Gazprom" reduced purchases of Turkmen gas. In particular, Turkmenistan is one of the potential participants in the "Nabucco" project pipeline - the main rival of the Russian "South Stream". Supplies of Turkmen gas to China increased.
Nabucco gas pipeline project will transport natural gas from the Caspian region to Europe bypassing Russia through Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Austria. Trunk with length of 3.3 thousand kilometers will be continuation of already constructed Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and is designed for annual transportation of 30 billion cubic meters of gas. The project is roughly estimated at 7.9 billion euros. But the issue with the main gas supplier still not resolved.
For the realization of "Nabucco" Transcaspian gas pipeline is planned to construct. However, Moscow has made it clear that construction of the pipeline should be agreed with the countries of "Caspian Five."
In particular, the Russian president said that the question of building "is in direct proportion to the status of the Caspian Sea as an inland sea, and requires the coordination of positions of all member states of the Caspian summit."
Meanwhile, as reported by the Turkmen media, Ashgabat is preparing to purchase equipment for the construction of strategic gas pipeline "East-West", which should unite all fields of the country into a single system and enable the transportation of "blue fuel" in different directions. Among these trends can be TransCaspian gas pipeline to Europe and the Caspian gas pipeline to Russia via Kazakhstan. Turkmenistan plans to purchase equipment at a factory in Tula region. The amount of the transaction was not called.
According to plans, the pipeline "East-West" should be ready by June 2015.
Another topic at the talks may be possible Russian participation in the construction of the Trans-Afghan gas pipeline "Turkmenistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan - India" (TAPI). Earlier in the Russian Energy Ministry said that rely on a share in a company that will implement the project, or on the participation of Russian companies as contractors.
The total length of the TAPI pipeline will be about 1.68 thousand kilometers, capacity - up to 30 billion cubic meters a year. Along with the participation of nominated companies from participating countries, in implementing the plan to deploy the resources of JSC "Gazprom". It is assumed that the expertise of the company will be needed during the design of the pipeline, the implementation of the contract works, procurement of equipment.
HUMANITARIAN COOPERATION
The agenda also includes talks on strengthening cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, particularly in education and training, culture and sports.
In the 2011-2012 academic year, Turkmenistan allocated 394 government scholarships in Russia. In accordance with the intergovernmental agreement in 2002 in the republic has been successfully operating the Russian-Turkmen secondary school named after Pushkin, in Ashgabat in 2008 was opened a branch of the Russian State University of Oil and Gas named after Gubkin.
Given Turkmenistan's chairmanship in the CIS in 2012, sides to discuss prospects of development of multifaceted cooperation within the Commonwealth. There will also be an exchange of views on the situation in Central Asia and Afghanistan, the interaction in the format of "Caspian Five", the press service of the Kremlin reported.