OREANDA-NEWS. April 12, 2010. Yerevan hosts textile and carpet exhibition of Turkmenistan and Turkmen-Armenian business forum.

The two-day textile and carpet exhibition of Turkmenistan was opened and the Turkmen-Armenian business forum was conducted in the Armenian capital. These events, which are to offer new incentives to foster fruitful cooperation between the two friendly countries, are jointly organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Turkmenistan and the Agency for Development of the Republic of Armenia.

On the instructions of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov a representative delegation of our country had arrived in Yerevan to participate in the national exhibition and business forum and the second meeting of the intergovernmental Turkmen-Armenian commission for economic cooperation, which had been held a day before.

The large-scale exposition arranged in the Exhibition Hall of the Government of the Republic of Armenia provides a splendid opportunity to showcase in full the economic potential of Turkmen textile and carpet industries as well as opens up the vast opportunities to establish mutually advantageous partnerships in mutual interests.

The policy pursued by the national leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to turn resource-rich Turkmenistan into a country-producer and exporter of high-quality commodities able to meet competition on world markets is embodied in the progress of one of the most promising sectors of the national economy – textile industry. Nowadays, products manufactured by Turkmen textile workers are known well and in great demand in many countries all over the world.

The exhibition in Yerevan presents terry cloth and articles, cotton fabrics, bed linen, children’s and sports knitted articles manufactured at the largest textile complexes of the country including the Ashgabat textile complex, the Geoktepe textile complex, the Gypjak textile complex, the Vekilbazar textile complex, the Bayramali textile complex and the Turkmenbashi textile complex.

Of course, world-renowned Turkmen carpets are of particular interest to numerous visitors. The exposition of the enterprises of the Turkmenhaly Joint-Stock Corporation includes over a hundred of high-quality fleece wool carpets and carpet articles made by skilled hands of Turkmen carpet makers.

The ‘zest’ of the exposition was the invaluable carpets kept in the depositories of the national museums. These unique carpets are made on the basis of the old national patterns and the new ones designed in recent years. The collection includes the rare specimens with the knot density of over 350,000 per square meter.

Silk Industry of Turkmenistan is presented by the products manufactured at the Turkmenabat silk association, the Ashgabat filature and the Ruhabat velvet factory including the national silk fabric keteni of various colours and shades and national costumes and dresses made from it and adorned with handmade embroidery. The carpets of amazing beauty and elegance made from silk threads are of great interest to the visitors.

The marketing specialists working at the exhibition provide the explanations on each exhibit and comprehensive information on all relevant issues.

The success of the exhibition, which aroused the utmost interest among Armenian specialists, is evidenced by the meetings and talks which were conducted on the first day between the representatives of the enterprises and organisations and businessmen of Turkmenistan with potential partners in Armenia.

The discussion of the prospects and potential of bilateral cooperation was continued at the Turkmen-Armenian business forum, which took place in the conference hall of the Government House. The cabinet ministers of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Armenia, the high-ranking officials and representatives of the ministries and departments, the state and business organisations of the two countries took part in the business meeting.

In his opening remarks Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia A. Movsisian heartily greeted the Turkmen guests and underscored the significant role of the exhibition in developing the Turkmen-Armenian dialogue, which had been offered a new quality and dynamics in recent years.

The film about modern Turkmenistan’s achievements and the large-scale reforms implemented under the leadership of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to lay the firm foundation for the progress and successful integration of the country in the world economy was demonstrated to the forum participants.

In a businesslike, constructive atmosphere the participants exchanged views on the ways to intensify mutually advantageous cooperation in a number of fields. The key aspects of further cooperation in such fields as power, construction, textile, carpet, food, medical industries, telecommunications and high-tech sectors were identified.

The forum participants representing 40 large Armenian companies including in particular ArmRosGazprom, Vivacell-MTS, FLASH, the Union of Builders of Armenia, Mika-Cement, Aram ev Silan, Arshaluys, Dav-Gar, Bazum Firma and others expressed keen interest in establishing close bilateral contacts.

The vast opportunities to enhance fruitful collaboration exist today. In this context it was noted that according to the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations and the Ministry of Economy and Development of Turkmenistan 10 enterprises with the capital share of the Republic of Armenia had been registered in Turkmenistan and 4 oil and gas projects were implemented in collaboration with the Armenian companies in the territory of our country.

In conclusion of the members of the delegations expressed readiness to further expand mutually advantageous trade and economic cooperation.