OREANDA-NEWS. On 08 August 2008 was announced, that President of Turkmenistan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov chaired a regular meeting of the Security Council.

Before opening the sitting Minister of Defence A. Mammetgeldiev awarded Certificate No. 1 to the Turkmen leader notifying that on June 26, 2008 President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov had flown by MiG-29 ultrasonic aircraft.

Then the members of the Security Council – high-ranking military and law-enforcement officials reported on the progress of the military reform, the current state of affairs in the agencies under their supervision and the fulfillment of the President’s instructions.

The meeting focused on the progress of the military reform prioritizing enhancement of the material and technical base of the Armed Forces, training of highly qualified military personnel and creation of the worthy conditions of labour living and military service, and recreation. The officials reported that the international tenders for construction of frontier posts and military units had been conducted in accordance with the Resolutions of the President and the constructions projects had been started.

Noting the importance of further improving the law enforcement activities Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that being a neutral state Turkmenistan pursued no aims except to build the clear defence doctrine and intended to implement the programme of enhancing national security and maintaining the high defence capacity of the national army which stood as the guarantor of the peaceful life and wellbeing of the Turkmen people. In this regard the President said that paramount importance should be attached to education and battle training of young soldiers who should become proficient in military art and master advanced military equipment purchased for the national army.

Discussing the issues of ensuring the law and order, strengthening the foundations of the unity and solidarity of the Turkmen society and its moral health the Turkmen leader focused on the importance of enhancing the efforts to control drug trafficking to be ensured by the State Agency for Drugs. The samples of the uniform to be worn by the personnel of this Agency were demonstrated during the meeting.

The issues related to traffic safety were considered during the meeting. The President made the critical remarks that the high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in particular the State Traffic Inspection Service failed to ensure traffic safety. The President instructed the relevant high-ranking officials to elaborate the plan of actions to prevent traffic accident and reduce accident risk. Minister of Internal Affairs M. Geldiev was reprimanded for the serious shortcomings.

Touching upon the law enforcement activities the President put emphasis on the importance of providing legal assistance to the population even in the remote regions of the country and issued the relevant document authorizing to open the branches of the Ministry of Justice in the velayats and the notary’s offices in the etraps.

The Chairman of the State Customs Service reported that the new procedures of paying customs duties called upon to attract foreign investments, develop the trade and economic relations with different countries worldwide and promote strengthening Turkmen economy had come into effect on August 1, 2008.

The decisions were taken on other important issues during the meeting.