OREANDA-NEWS. January 28, 2010. President of Turkmenistan completes official visit to the Republic of Belarus.

During the official visit to the Republic of Belarus President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited the two largest industrial enterprises of the country – the Minsk Automobile Plant Public Corporation and the Minsk Tractor Plant Republican Unitary Enterprise, where he learned about the industrial process and products produced by these industrial giants.

As was reported, on the first day of the Turkmen leader’s visit to Minsk the leaders of Turkmenistan and Belarus held the talks that reaffirmed the invariable commitment of the two countries and peoples to the relations of friendship, the mutual willingness to develop full-scale mutually advantageous cooperation. The talks resulted in signing the solid package of the bilateral documents aimed at enhancing effective partnership on a wide spectrum of fields. On the first day of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited the Minsk-Arena Cultural and Sports Centre. An excursion around the Centre and the presentation of the potential of Belarus’s construction industry were arranged for the distinguished guest that illustrated keen interest of the leading Belarusian enterprises and companies in establishing fruitful relations with Turkmenistan as a very promising business partner.

During the days of the President’s visit the members of the Turkmen government delegation held a series of the meetings and talks with the Belarusian colleagues in Minsk. The focus of lively discussion were the important aspects of further bilateral cooperation in compliance with the top level agreements and the prospects for intensifying mutually advantageous partnership in a number of the key fields.

In the morning the President of Turkmenistan arrived at the Minsk Automobile Plant Public Corporation – the largest company of the Republic of Belarus producing heavy automotive and passenger vehicles, trailers and special machines. The history of the MAZ Public Corporation begins in 1944.

The heartfelt welcome was extended to the honorary Turkmen guest at the enterprises. Minister of Industry of the Republic of Belarus Aleksander Radevich and General Director of MAZ Aleksander Borovskiy heartily greeted President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov there.

An exposition of machines and equipment produced by the leading industrial enterprises of the country was arranged in the adjacent territory of the plant. These included the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant Republican Unitary Enterprise founded in 1954. The enterprise develops and produces road and off-road heavy vehicles for the needs of construction, oil and gas and machine building industries. Director-General of MZKT Enterprise Gennadiy Sinegovskiy presented the VOLAT vehicles to the Turkmen leader.

The Belkommunmach Unitary Enterprise specializing in production, maintenance and repair of public transport – trolley buses, tramways, fire-fighting and other special vehicles, in particular buses for shift workers, presented their equipment and machines. The Amkodor Public Corporation affiliating eight enterprises presented its potential of in production of road-building, municipal, aerodrome, agricultural and other special machines and equipment.

In short, the exposition presented the whole spectrum of construction, road and other vehicles that could be used in Turkmenistan. These include the models of machines produced at the special orders of Turkmen partners. It should be noted that most of the machines have been tested in our country. Upon receiving the results of the tests the Belarusian partners had introduced several improvements to MAZ heavy trucks in particular to adapt them to the climatic conditions of Turkmenistan. The exposition included vehicles with standard bodies, tippers, platforms for specialized equipment, including heavy trucks, etc.

Different models of buses – from small to large articulated vehicles were presented at the exposition. Some of them have been tested in Turkmenistan.

The daughter enterprises of the MAZ presented their products: chassis of various modifications, special car bodies, mobile medical and X-ray rooms, comfortable trailers for using in field conditions.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov asked about the technical characteristics and operational capabilities of machines and equipment of various designs and models to detail. The Turkmen leader’s interest ha the practical basis for the needs of Turkmenistan that has launched the large-scale reforms and changes in different fields, modernize and replenish the fleets of the sectors of the Turkmen economy.

In particular, the Turkmen leader got interested in MAZ-256 and MAZ-107 buses. After inspecting the passenger compartment of a MAZ-256 bus, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov asked about the results of tests of this brand in Turkmenistan. Heavy vehicles including MZKT large-tonnage haulage trucks which had showed good performance in our country.

The President’s interest was aroused by not only the industrial design products of the Belarusian machinery works but also equipment designed for tourism industry that was conditioned by the rapid development of this promising sector in Turkmenistan. The Belarusian partners offered MAZ-KUPAVA travel trailers – comfortable ‘home on wheels’.

Then the President accompanied by the representatives of the Belarusian companies made an excursion round the plant to learn about the work of the giant assembly line. The distinguished guest received an opportunity to see the process of assembling trucks.

During the excursion President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov asked about the technical parameters of the operation of the assembly line and products manufactured at the plant. Reaffirming the profound interest in developing mutually advantageous cooperation with Turkmenistan, the MAZ top managers evaluated highly the great potential of the Turkmen market. In this regard the Belarusian partners focused on their willingness to build fruitful cooperation on delivery of equipment and machines as well as spare parts, maintenance service, personnel training. In particular, MAZ intended to build the service centre in Ashgabat, which would provide a full range of services.

Thanking for the opportunity to learn about the work of one of the largest machinery works of Belarus, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that there were the good prospects for strengthening partnership with the MAZ Public Corporation in mutual interests.

Then the Turkmen leader visited to another industrial giant – the Minsk Tractor Plant Republican Unitary Enterprise, whose products were known well in our country for many years. Tractors produced at the Minsk Tractor Plant have been successfully operated in Turkmenistan for several years and widely engaged in various agricultural activities. Today, machines of this brand make up a significant part of the agricultural fleet of our country.

Director General of MTZ Republican Unitary Enterprise Alexander Pukhovoy heartily greeted the distinguished guest there. Accompanied by the head of the plant, Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Viktor Burya and Minister of Industry Alexander Radevich President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made an excursion round the plant.

Then the President of Turkmenistan visited an exhibition widely presenting tractors of various modifications and types in the yard of the plant. The Belarus-80X and Belarus-82.1 tractors were of particular interest to the Turkmen leader. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was interested in the technical characteristics of tractors and the possibilities for upgrading some of the models.

Also, the machines and equipment produced at the MTZ Enterprise for urban utilities and mini-equipment designed for small-scale economic unit including households attracted attention of the President.

Upon concluding the excursion the President of Turkmenistan thanked the top managers and specialists of the plant for the heartfelt welcome and wished every success to the labour collective.

After leaving the plant, the Turkmen leader visited the National Library of Belarus located on Independence Avenue in the eastern part of Minsk.

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov accompanied by Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus P. Latushko and Director of the National Library R. Motulskiy made an excursion round the Library, which ranks among the largest in the world. The Turkmen students, who studied at the higher schools in Minsk, greeted the Turkmen leader there.

The honorary guest visited the Museum of Book, which had the unique collection of rare and old books.

Upon concluding the excursion the President wrote an entry in the Book of Honorary Guests.

President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksander Lukashenko heartily welcomed the honorary Turkmen guest at the National Library. After exchanging friendly handshakes, the leaders of Turkmenistan and Belarus had a chorography taken against the background of the national flags of the two countries.

Then the Presidents had dinner, after which the corteges of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Aleksander Lukashenko headed for the Minsk-2 National Airport.

In the airport the two leaders sat in a special bus designed to transport passengers to the aircrafts made a circle on the airfield at the request of the honorary Turkmen guest, who got interested in the functional characteristics of this vehicle.

Bidding farewell the Presidents of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Belarus expressed deep satisfaction with the results of the top level talks and reaffirmed the mutual intention to develop full-scale cooperation in the interests of two friendly countries and peoples.

Then the President of Turkmenistan left for Ashgabat.

A few hours later the Boeing landed at the International Airport in the Turkmen capital where the high-ranking officials of the Mejlis and cabinet ministers heartily greeted the Turkmen leader and congratulated him on the success of the official visit to Belarus.