OREANDA-NEWS. On 22 August 2008 was announced, that President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov chaired a sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers was held to consider the priority issues of the current national policy and the progress of the important social and economic development programmes.

Speaker of the Mejlis A. Nurberdieva reported that the deputies of the Turkmen Parliament worked on the new legal act regulating the national policy in various fields and the new version of the Law of Turkmenistan “On Hydrocarbon Resources” had been drafted on the basis of the President’s suggestions and proposals.

The Speaker of the Mejlis reported on the preparations for special XXI Halk Maslakhaty, which would be held in late September.

Emphasizing that the reforms implemented in the country should have the solid legal foundation conforming to the international norms and standards the President approved and signed the Law of Turkmenistan “On Hydrocarbon Resources”.

Vice Premier, Minister of Foreign Affairs R. Meredov reported on the results of the meetings and talks with the foreign partners to further mutually advantageous co-operation.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs reported on the fulfillment of the President’s instructions to deliver the humanitarian goods to the border regions in Afghanistan. R. Meredov informed that the people of three Afghan settlements had highly appreciated the act of goodwill and expressed profound gratitude to Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for the assistance and support.

In this regard Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that Turkmenistan stood steadfast to the traditions of friendship and co-operation with its neighbours including Afghanistan.

Vice Premier T. Tagiev reported on the progress of the number of the large-scale investment projects aimed at accelerated development of the prospective hydrocarbon deposits and enhancement of the gas transport infrastructure.

Commenting on the report the President specified the concrete measurers aimed at further development of Turkmenistan’s fuel and energy sector. The Turkmen leader emphasized that adopting the Law of Turkmenistan “On Hydrocarbon Resources” was another step towards successful implementation of Turkmenistan’s energy policy and integration in the global economic system.

Vice Premier N. Shaguliev reported on the progress of construction of the North-South railway, in particular the section from Bereket to the Kazakh border. The Vice Premier informed that the works were carried out according to schedule.

Putting emphasis on the importance of building the modern transport infrastructure including civil aviation the President instructed to draft the proposals on reconstruction of the landing strips in the airport throughout the country so that they would meet the safety requirements and receive aircrafts of all types and modifications including heavy passenger and freight airlines.

Vice Premier M. Yazmuhamedova reported on the preparations for the programmes of the events and celebrations of the 17th anniversary of Turkmenistan independence on the basis of the President’s suggestions and proposals.

Focusing on the everlasting significance of this date in the history of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that the programme of the festive events and celebrations should be thoroughly elaborated so that it could reflect Turkmenistan’s accomplishments in strengthening sovereignty and undertakings in the epoch of Great Revival.

Touching upon the tasks set to Turkmen mass media the Turkmen leader focused on its important role in truly and timely media coverage of the events in and outside the country, bringing up the society especially youth to love the native land and maintain the spiritual traditions of the Turkmen nation.

Vice Premier H. Saparliev reported on the preparations for the new academic year and the holiday – Knowledge day and Students’ Day. The Vice Premier reported that the educational establishments throughout the country were preparing for the celebrations with enthusiasm.

Focusing on the importance of the coming holiday Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that the ceremonies of opening newly built schools and preschool institutions which would open the doors for hundred of young citizens of Turkmenistan in different regions of our country would be timed to the beginning of the academic year.

Focusing on the symbolicalness of combining the two remarkable dates – Knowledge Day and Students’ Day embodying the creative origin of all transformations and changes in the epoch of Great Revival, the bright future of independent Turkmenistan the President instructed to hold the festive events and celebrations at the high level of organisation.

Vice Premier H. Muhammedov reported on the state of affairs in textile industry and trade and the fulfillment of the President’s instruction to saturate the national market with high-quality domestically manufactured products.

Putting emphasis on the importance of enhancing the efforts towards these goals the President instructed the relevant high-ranking officials to ensure the plenty of food products on the domestic market. Emphasis was put on the tasks to enhance the potential of processing industries and to improve service industries, particularly trade.

Vice Premier M. Akmammedov reported on the progress of the seasonal agricultural works.

The President demanded that the agricultural high-ranking officials would take the measures to harvest cotton without loss and carry out the winter crop sowing campaign within the optimal period. The President said that the importance of these campaigns was conditioned by the tasks to increase the potential of textile industry, to increase the volume of textile output and to ensure the plenty of food products on the national consumer market.

Vice Premier H. Geldimuradov reported on the progress of the economic reform focusing on the preparations for denomination of the Turkmen manat scheduled for the beginning of 2009 and the measures aimed taken on the President’s instructions to create incentives for Turkmen agricultural workers.

Commenting on the report the President said that strengthening the national currency would profoundly promote Turkmenistan’s integration in the global economic system and thus, enhancing the country’s prestige worldwide.

The President informed of the decision to raise the purchasing prices for agricultural products, particularly grain. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that the Government would allocate the considerably funds for these purposes and one ton of next year’s harvest would cost 2 million manats that would allow agricultural workers to have net profit increased as high as 1.5 times.

Vice Premier D. Orazov reported on the preparations for the international exhibition and conference focused on the development of Turkmenistan’s power industry, which would be opened in Ashgabat and the progress of the architectural projects in the Turkmen capital including the facilities to be put into operation on the eve of Independence Day.

Putting emphasis on carrying out the woks according to schedule the President said that strict control should be taken of the quality of construction works. First of all, this requirement was made to the projects on construction of apartment houses

The architectural projects including construction of apartment houses in Keshi and the settlement Gurtkly in the Ruhabat Etrap in the Ahal Velayat and reconstruction of a central alleys in Ashgabat with the sculptural compositions of the prominent sons of the Turkmen people – a new ‘visit card’ of the Turkmen capital were presented to the Turkmen leader for consideration.

Approving the project in whole the President said that the comfortable conditions of life and recreation should be created for the Turkmen people whose welfare was the utmost goal of the national policy.

The other issues of the current national policy were considered during the sitting.