OREANDA-NEWS. August 28, 2009. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Republic of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov held the talks in Sofia on August 21.

During the meeting the leaders discussed the progress in implementing the bilateral agreements, exchanged views on the wide range of the issues and specified the priorities of Turkmen-Bulgarian cooperation. The very promising fields of collaboration included trade and economy, energy sector, transport and communications, industry, agriculture and tourism industry. Focusing on the need for humanitarian cooperation that was an essential component of the intergovernmental dialogue Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Georgi Parvanov called for enhancing and expanding cultural, scientific and educational contacts between Turkmenistan and Bulgaria.

The leaders of the two countries discussed the regional and international political issues of mutual interest.

Then the government delegations of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Bulgaria joined in the talks.

Noting that he highly appreciated the fact that the Turkmen delegation was represented by the high-ranking officials of the national ministries and departments that guaranteed further successful cooperation between Turkmenistan and Bulgaria the Bulgarian leader gave the floor to the President of Turkmenistan.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that these talks were taking place against the background of the intensified dialogue between Turkmenistan and Bulgaria that proved the mutual interest in deepening cooperation. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that both countries were unanimous that the modern realities dictated the need to work out the innovative approaches to problems and challenges of the modern world including achievement of global security in such sectors as political and military, economic, ecological, energy and food. The President emphasized that these sectors were interrelated and therefore required a complex, systematic, universal approach. In this regard the consolidated will of world community embodied in the relevant decision of the United Nations Organisation and other authoritative international organisations was to play a key role.

Highly evaluating Bulgaria’s consistent approach to such an urgent item on the global agenda as energy security the Turkmen leader emphasized that both countries intended to further closely cooperate in the framework of the international structures and supported the constructive proposals aimed at upgrading global geopolitical and economic architecture

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that Turkmenistan had highly appreciated the support provided by the Bulgarian friends to Turkmenistan’s initiative to ensure reliable and stable transit of energy put forward to the United Nations Organisation. In this regard he Turkmen leader noted that wide international cooperation on these problems had become a reality and both countries took active part in it.

Touching upon trade and economic partnership Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stated that the current level of it did not meet the potential and interests of the two countries which had many areas of contact besides the fuel and energy sector to intensify mutually advantageous business contacts on a long-term basis.

The President noted that Turkmenistan was interested in implementing joint investment projects, employing other forms of cooperation in such segments of economy as power industry, metallurgy, machine building, electronic engineering, oil refining, agriculture, food industry where Bulgaria had accumulated the profound experience. In this regard the Turkmen leader called for promoting the work of the Turkmen-Bulgarian intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation according to the achieved agreements.

Touching upon cooperation in the transport and communication sector Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that for the specific geographical location the two countries played an important role in building transport corridors between Asia and Europe. The President of Turkmenistan said that in this regard Turkmenistan viewed Bulgaria as a very promising partner for intensification of economic contacts between Turkmenistan and the European Union.

Noting that Turkmenistan was interested in Bulgaria’s experience in developing tourism industry Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov invited the Bulgarian companies to collaborate in the project on the establishment of Avaza national tourism zone on the Caspian seashore.

The President noted that an essential component of the Turkmen-Bulgarian relations was enhancing humanitarian contacts noting that the top level talks had resulted in achieving the agreements to intensify cultural and other cooperation that met the spirit of the times and the objective needs of the peoples of two countries. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that the joint work towards these goals would be continued to improve the legal framework and the practical mechanisms for developing wide humanitarian contacts. The Turkmen leader focused on the need for cooperation among the educational establishments of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Bulgaria on training highly qualified specialists and promotion of scientific research, training Turkmen students and specialists at the educational and research centres in Sofia and other cities of Bulgaria.

Expressing support for the Turkmen leader’s proposal to establish the intergovernmental commission Georgi Parvanov noted that Bulgaria would form its part of the commission that would ensure close partnership among the ministries, departments and business organisations of two countries, in this regard focusing on the need to improve the legal framework of cooperation Georgi Parvanov said that Bulgaria stood ready to actively draft the agreements on mutual protection of investments and avoidance of double taxation as the basic documents.

Touching upon the fuel and energy sectors as a priority of partnership Georgi Parvanov said that the Bulgarian companies were intensively interested in collaborating in the projects on exploration and development of hydrocarbon deposits in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea and invited the Turkmen companies to collaborate in this field in Bulgaria. Highly appreciating the coincidence of the approaches to energy security the President of Bulgaria focused on the importance of two energy forums which had been held simultaneously in Ashgabat and Sofia, which had specified these approaches.

The Bulgarian leader said that Bulgaria would like to be the bulwark of cooperation with Turkmenistan in Europe and viewed Turkmenistan as the bulwark of cooperation between Bulgaria and the Central Asian states.

Touching upon energy partnership Georgi Parvanov expressed sincere gratitude for Turkmenistan’s readiness confirmed by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during the talks to supply 2 billion cubic metres and more of natural gas to Bulgaria as soon as the routes for gas exports were developed.

Spotlighting Turkmenistan’s approach to diversifying transit of energy to international markets including Bulgaria Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that Turkmenistan had the profound, almost boundless potential to increase energy exports. The Turkmen leader said that standing steadfast to the status of neutrality Turkmenistan sold gas on its border and firmly believed that this issue must be addressed through achieving consensus among gas exporters, transit countries and consumers. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that this approach would promote successful and long-term cooperation.

The Turkmen leader emphasized that Turkmenistan put every effort and took the concrete steps to implement its profound energy potential in full for the benefit of international community. These include construction of two new gas pipelines, which would supply Turkmen ‘blue fuel’ to Iran and China. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov informed that the results of the tender for construction of a 1,000-km gas pipeline that would cross the country from east to west were under consideration. Turkmenistan stood steadfast to the commitment to place its natural resources at the service of the whole mankind, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov concluded.

The ceremony of signing the bilateral talks took place upon concluding the talks.

To the applause of those present President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Republic of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov signed the Joint Communique.

The Agreement on mutual cancellation of the visa requirements for the holders of diplomatic and service passports between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism Industry between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria were signed.