OREANDA-NEWS. On January 31, 2008 president of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov received Midland Oil and Gas CEO discussed the prospects of mutually advantageous co-operation Robert Murphy.

Thanking for the opportunity of a personal meeting the businessman introduced his business partners – the advisor of the Midland Oil and Gas Company, the director of the NARA Bank (Republic of Korea) and the Alaska pipeline project chief construction and financing consultant.

Greeting the guests Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov emphasized that Turkmenistan was always open for a constructive dialogue with its friends and partners, who were ready for equal and mutually advantageous co-operation.

Reaffirming the company’s interest in establishing the long-term business contacts with Turkmenistan Mr. Robert Murphy informed of the particular steps to implement the agreements reached during the previous meeting with the Turkmen leader. In particular, the Midland Oil and Gas CEO said that the international consortium had been established with the Korean partners, which would be involved in implementing joint projects. For this purpose the phased programme providing for implementation of the potential of co-operation in the oil and gas sector, first of all, had been elaborated. The guest informed of the consortium’s readiness for wide collaboration in other fields, in particular telecommunications and advanced information technologies.

Showing satisfaction at the foreign partners’ intention to work on Turkmen market Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov noted that Turkmenistan was working towards improving the national legislation and creating the more favourable investment climate in the country. Turkmenistan relied on attraction of the advanced technologies and the best international practices in all spheres of national economy, first of all, the leading sector – fuel and energy, the President emphasized.

The interlocutors discussed in details the opportunities of interacting in oil and gas industry, in particular developing jointly hydrocarbon deposits. Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov suggested that the guests would consider the opportunities of partnering in petrochemical industry, liquefied gas production, textile industry and the sphere of transport and communications. The particular projects included construction of a seaport in Turkmenbashi and establishment of the Avaza national tourist zone on the Caspian Sea coast.

The interlocutors focused on co-operation in the sphere of education. Mr. Robert Murphy said that the consortium had drafted the special programme providing for training Turkmen students at the leading higher educational establishments in the United States and the Republic of Korea taking account of the importance attached in Turkmenistan to training highly qualified specialists for national economy. The guest emphasized that Turkmen specialists would be involved in the joint projects that would create thousands of new jobs.

Upon concluding the meeting Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov invited the guests to visit the large-scale enterprises in Turkmenistan to study the opportunities of establishing full-scale long-term co-operation.