OREANDA-NEWS. July 24, 2009. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited the International Airport in Ashgabat to inspect the infrastructure, fleet and the current situation in national civil aviation in whole.

The Turkmen leader arrived at the airplane shed of the Turkmenistan Aviation Enterprise where the drawing boards with the draft general layout of the new international airport in Ashgabat were installed. The idea of construction of the Oguz Khan Airport belonged to the President of Turkmenistan.

The President put forward the initiative to construct the new supermodern complex supplied with state-of-the-art equipment which would meet the international standards and offer high-quality services to passengers and comfortable conditions for effective work to personnel. Special attention would be paid to flight safety. The famous companies in Germany, France and other countries have expressed the willingness to design and implement this prestigious project.

Upon thoroughly reviewing the draft general layout of the future airport Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov instructed Vice Premiers N. Shagulyev and D. Orazov and Head of Turkmenhowayollary State National Service G. Tirkishev to ensure the project for construction of the service and maintenance facilities, which would enable to ensure highly effective operation of air vehicles, on-site repair of aircrafts and equipment. Noting that an important factor of flight safety was state-of-the-art navigation systems the President instructed the relevant high-ranking official to select the best systems, which would be installed at the air gateways of the capital.

Then Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov inspected the facilities of the ground-based infrastructure, air vehicles and aviation equipment.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that the Government would continue to purchase modern aircrafts, which would used on internal lines and international routes, the geography of which was steadily extended. Noting that the needs in air vehicles of the sectors of the national economy, in particular, oil and gas sector, transport, agriculture, health care, should be assessed the President instructed the high-ranking officials to draft the relevant proposals.

Stressing that construction of the new airport in the capital was dictated by the plans and priorities of further social and economic development of Turkmenistan, the tasks to intensify international cooperation and integration of the country in global economic system the Turkmen leader demanded that a effective approach should be taken to the designated tasks that must be fulfilled through applying the best international practice and latest achievements in this field.

The President noted that Turkmenistan was located on international transport routes, from the time of the Great Silk Road ran the strategic routes from east to west and from north to south crossed its territory. Today our country was in demand worldwide for its huge transit potential that we must implement mostly efficiently, use to advantage of our people and foreign partners. The Turkmen leader said that civil aviation played a significance role in this regard. The President said that this sector could bring substantial profit if all existing opportunities were used and Turkmenistan gained that status of a large transcontinental transport centre. The Turkmen leader said that numerous foreign air carriers had applied for inclusion of the airport in Turkmenbashi town as the most convenient transit point between Europe and Asia in their itineraries.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that foreign partners had highly evaluated the equipping level at the airport that met the ICAO standards – the International Civil Aviation Organization. The airport in the littoral town could receive aircrafts and vehicles of different freight-carrying capacities of all types and offered the comfortable conditions for recreation of the crews. There would be a filling station. Fuel for aircrafts would be supplied directly from the fuel processing plant that would guarantee the high quality of fuel and time savings. In addition, specialists, who would work in the new airport, would attend the advanced training course at the leading companies in Europe.

Then Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov piloted the helicopter flew around the vast agricultural fields where the seasonal works were in full swing: farmers were taking care of cotton plantations, tilling lands and gathering vegetables and fruits.

Then the President piloted the helicopter to Ak Bugday Etrap.

A few minutes later the helicopter appeared in the sky above Ashgabat. The President flew around the construction sites of the facilities and building which would adorn the Turkmen capital and improve significantly the life quality of the people and offer high-quality services and recreation to the guests of Ashgabat.

After the helicopter landed the President conducted a brief working meeting with the cabinet ministers. The draft designs of the mosaic panels developed by the local designers, which would adorn newly constructed buildings in the Turkmen capital, were presented to the Turkmen leader for review during the meeting. The President approved the draft designs in general and focused on the need for an integrated and creative approach to design and decoration of facilities and buildings under construction. The Turkmen leader put emphasis on the issues of development and beautification of the capital city as well as towns and villages throughout the country. In particular, the instructions to inspect the conditions of green plantations in the city, ensure proper care of plants and watering in a timely manner were given to the relevant high-ranking officials.

Touching upon the issues of development national aviation civil Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized once again that it played an important role in the national economy as the most technology intensive industry. The President said that the aircrafts with the image of Turkmen lachin on board were the plenipotentiary representatives of Turkmenistan all over the world and ordered to use the national symbols in the design of aircrafts more widely.

In conclusion the Turkmen leader wished every success in fulfilling the designated tasks to those present.