OREANDA-NEWS. On 24 June 2009 was announced, that President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan and Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus visited Lebap province as part of the official visit of the President of the Republic of Belarus to Turkmenistan. They laid the foundation stone for the ore mining and processing complex for the production of potash fertilizers with the capacity ranging from one to one and a half million tons per year.

JSC "Belgorhimprom", which specializes in research and development for the mining and chemical industry in Belarus, will erect the complex on a "turnkey" basis in accordance with the Framework Agreement signed earlier with the Turkmenhimiya State Concern. The construction of the complex will be implemented in two stages. The fist stage of construction will cost about one billion U.S. dollars.

Upon completion of the construction of the facility (according to preliminary estimates, it will take a little over 4 years), specialists of JSC "Belgorhimprom" will provide warranty services. In addition, an agreement was reached for preparation of national staff for a new branch of the Turkmen economy on the basis of the leading scientific and educational centers of Belarus, the State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH) said.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that the construction and commissioning of the complex, operating on the basis of advanced technology, would open qualitatively new perspectives and horizons for the economic and social development of Lebap province. There will be created a powerful engineering-communications and transport infrastructure, as well as dozens of new facilities that will provide new jobs.

Alexander Lukashenko stressed that "the implementation of joint projects in Turkmenistan is a real breakthrough in bilateral cooperation in the long term". "We are ready to provide comprehensive development of this and other fields in the future, using advanced technologies and taking into account strict compliance with work safety standards and requirements of ecological safety," he said.