TURKMENISTAN, ARMENIA TO DEVELOP BASIS FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION

Turkmenistan.ru
April 9 2010

The 2nd meeting of the intergovernmental Turkmen-Armenian commission
on economic cooperation was held in Yerevan. The meeting was chaired
by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Hydyr
Saparlyev and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia
Armen Movsisyan.

According to the official press release, the meeting agenda included
a wide range of issues covering virtually the entire spectrum of
bilateral cooperation, of which trade and economy, fuel-energy sector,
chemical industry, transport and communications as well as agriculture
were named the priority areas. A separate subject of discussions was
the topic of building up human relations, primarily in education,
science and health spheres, as well as strengthening and expanding the
cultural contacts as an important component of the Turkmen-Armenian
relations. Following the meeting, there was signed a protocol.

In those days, there was also held an exhibition of textile and carpet
products of Turkmenistan at the exhibition hall of the Government
House in Yerevan, which was opened by Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan. In his speech he stressed that "good neighborly relations
between the two countries need economic support," and in that sense
Turkmenistan and Armenia have a large untapped potential.

According to the Armenian news agency, all the exhibited specimens
were purchased by visitors on the first day of the exhibition.

To date, Turkmenistan exports to Armenia textiles, oil and oil
products worth US $ 14 million annually. The total annual trade
turnover between the countries amounts to US$ 20 million. Armenia
mainly exports cognac, agricultural products and jewelry products
to Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan registered 10 enterprises with the
capital of the Republic of Armenia, and four projects in the oil
and gas industry are being implemented in Turkmenistan with the
participation of Armenian companies.