OREANDA-NEWS. September 23, 2011. The Turkmenistan-Austria Commission held the fourth meeting in Vienna (the Republic of Austria) on 20-21 September. The heads and specialists of a number of government departments and business companies of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Austria participated in the meeting.

The Austrian delegation was led by Bernadette Gierlinger, Head of the Centre for Foreign Trade Policy and European Integration of the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth of the Republic of Austria. The Austrian delegation consisted of specialists of the abovementioned Ministry, officials of the Federal Chancellery, the Ministry for European and International Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology, the Federal Economic Chamber, the Austrian Business Agency, mangers and experts of numerous Austrian companies.

In their opening remarks the heads of the delegations focused with satisfaction on intensification of bilateral Turkmen-Austrian contacts in a number of fields of cooperation such as, foreign trade and investment policy, education, health care, transport, construction and building materials industry, tourism and culture.

During the meeting the analysis of the current status of trade between Turkmenistan and Austria was conducted, and the measures to increase the trading volume were harmonized given the interests of the two countries. In particular, focusing on the existing potential to advance trade and economic cooperation, the sides were unanimous about the need to intensify the information exchange and conduct expert consultations on the issues related to bilateral export-import operations on a regular basis, broaden a range of exported goods, search for new forms of collaboration and develop relevant proposals. The sides agreed that a meeting of experts from the ministries and departments of Turkmenistan and Austria would be held in Vienna in the first half of 2012.

A focus of the discussions was the importance of closer collaboration between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber and the effectiveness of joint business forums, fairs, exchange of delegations, including in the sphere of training of specialists representing the business and industrial circles of the two countries. In this context the agenda of the Turkmen-Austrian business forum, which would be held in Ashgabat in the framework of the official visit of Federal President of the Republic of Austria Heinz Fischer to Turkmenistan, was discussed.

The Commission members and invited participants considered the prospects of cooperation in the spheres of energy, innovative technologies in the oil and gas and petrochemical industries and the issue related to advanced training and study courses for specialists of these sectors of Turkmen economy. The opportunities to build up cooperation between research centers of the two countries in the sphere of protection of the environment, bio- and nano technologies and the use of alternative energy sources were discussed.

The mutual willingness to intensify partnerships in the construction industry and the transport sector, in particular air service that would be set forth in the future bilateral agreement, the health and pharmaceutical sectors where an the exchange of experiences and implementation of joint scientific projects were of practical significance for the two countries, was expressed.

The tourism sector was mentioned among the promising fields of collaboration. In this context it was agreed at the request of the Turkmen delegation that Turkmenistan and Austria would host the presentations of their tourism potential in the first half of 2012.

The critical options for active collaboration included agricultural products processing; in this context the opportunities for cooperation with Austrian companies in implementing the projects for construction of these complexes in our country and delivery of specialized equipment to produce dairy and meat products in Turkmenistan, were thoroughly considered.

Noting that cooperation on exports of Turkmen textiles had the tremendous potential, the sides were unanimous about the need to more actively promote Turkmen textiles on the markets in Austria and other EU member states and establish direct contacts with Austrian companies interested in wholesale purchases.

A focus of the discussion was the aspects of humanitarian cooperation, in particular in the spheres of education and culture. The sides called for enhancing and expanding cultural contacts which stood as an essential component of interstate relationships. In this context the opportunities to organize such forms of bilateral cultural and artistic exchange as the Days of Turkmen and Austrian Cinematography, exhibitions of fine, decorative and applied arts the two nations and other actions.

Upon concluding the meeting which was held in a friendly and businesslike atmosphere, emphasis was put once again on the dynamic character of Turkmen-Austrian cooperation built on mutual confidence and benefit and belief that new agreements reached during the meeting would contribute to enhancing full cooperation was expressed.