A sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers

A sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers was held to discuss the important issues of the current policy of the Turkmen state. The high-ranking officials of the military and law-enforcement agencies and the Ministry of Economy and Finance took part in the sitting.

Opening the sitting Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov noted that the agenda included the important issues of paramount importance for accelerating the national reforms. These included the radical reforms in the armed forces, particularly the national military and law-enforcement agencies. The heads of the relevant government departments reported on the implementation of the reforms.

Summing up the reports Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov gave the instructions to raise the rates and effectiveness of the military reforms in order to achieve the world standards of the functioning of the armed forces, which were to perform the defensive mission.

Touching upon the following agenda item and defining it as of paramount importance for combating the worst evil threatening all mankind – drug addiction Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov stated that a full-scale war must be declared on that serious threat. The head of the Turkmen state gave the floor to the high-ranking officials of the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Home Affairs, who reported on the preparations of the World No-Drug Day celebrations.

During the sitting the head of the Turkmen state appointed the military high-ranking officials.

A new uniform for the military personnel serving in the guard of honour was presented to the President during the sitting. Upon examining the samples the Turkmen leader made some remarks and suggestions.

During the sitting the head of the Turkmen state issued the resolution on the additional work on the construction of the main mosque in the Mary Velayat.

Vice Chairmen of the Cabinet of Ministers reported on the work done in the period.

Minister of Foreign Affairs R. Meredov reported on the scheduling official events, particularly the President’s of Afghanistan forthcoming visit to Ashgabat and the meeting of the heads of the foreign policy departments of the Caspian Sea states in Tehran.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs informed that IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had received the participants of the meeting in the Iranian capital. Speaking at the opening ceremony the IRI President had highly appreciated the outcomes of the President’s of Turkmenistan visit to Iran and expressed the best wishes to Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov.

The bilateral meetings with the ministers of foreign affairs of Iran and Azerbaijan were held in Tehran. In particular, the head of the foreign policy department of Azerbaijan had informed of the approval of Azerbaijan’s membership in the bilateral intergovernmental commission.

R. Meredov reported on the implementation of the Turkmen-Russian agreements and informed that a sitting of the bilateral intergovernmental commission had been carried over on July 10 due to his trip to Tehran. The agreement with RF Vice-Premier S. Naryshkin on the dates of the sitting had been reached. R. Meredov informed that the Turkmen-Russian co-operation was advanced. Thus, the negotiations with the Gazprom Company and the Russian companies Itera and Tatneft were being held on these days. The Lukoil Company intensified business activity in Turkmenistan

Among the Russian specialists, who had visited Ashgabat to share experience, was a group of the medical specialists from Moscow, who had provided consultations and lectures and performed some unique operations.

Speaker of the Mejlis A. Nurberdieva reported on the implementation of the new legislative acts regulating the work of local authorities in rural areas. She reported on the preparations for the elections to velayat halk maslakhaty to be held at the end of 2007.

At the sitting the issues of the development of gas transport facilities were discussed in the context of the priority tasks set to the national oil and gas industry. Vice Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers T. Tagiev reported on the accomplishment of the technical-organisational arrangements under the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline project. Vice-Premier reported on the implementation of the Turkmen-Kazakh intergovernmental agreements noting that the work was carried out in close collaboration with the Kazakh partners. The relevant agreements with the Russian partners were being negotiated.

The head of the state instructed T. Tagiev, a cochairman of the Turkmen-Kazakh intergovernmental commission, to ensure the proper and overall fulfillment of the clauses of the agreements and to take strict control over the implementation of the gas transport and telecommunications projects.

Vice Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers G. Ashirov reported on the work of the expert groups, which had started to elaborate the Yeralievo-Turkmenbashi-Bereket-Gorgan trunk railway project. Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov stressed that the establishment of the transport branched network including the North-South international transport corridor to cross the territories of the three neighboring countries – Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Russia ranked as a task of current importance. The President demanded to accelerate the work on the strategically important project.

G. Ashirov presented two draft projects elaborated by the President’s instructions. One of the projects was aimed at improving and planting with gardens and trees a vast area close to the new housing estates within the bounds of four city highways – Turkmenbashi Avenue, Independence Avenue, Hero of Turkmenistan Atamurat Niyazov Avenue and Oghuz Khan Street

The head of the state examined and approved the project on construction and beautification of a city highway to be built southward of and parallel to Archabil Avenue. Putting emphasis on the increasing pace of construction works throughout the country Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov demanded to improve the work of the Ministry of Construction and Construction Materials Industry. In this regard the President instructed G. Ashirov to submit the proposals on the restructing of the Ministry of Construction and Construction Materials Industry.

Vice Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers H. Saparliev reported on the implementation of the educational reform. Particularly, he informed that the new school subjects and disciplines had been incorporated in the curricula elaborated for high and higher schools in compliance with the new requirements. The work on the compilation of new textbooks and teaching aids was carried on; most of the new textbooks had been published.

Touching upon the organisation of children’s summer vacation H. Saparliev reported that a children’s health-improving and recreation centre built by request of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, the Ministry of Education and the State Committee for Sports and Tourism in Geokdere was ready to receive holiday makers.

Bringing the issues of the development of tourist industry and national recreation areas up for discussion the President focused on the task to gain the status of a free economic zone for littoral town Turkmenbashi. Stressing the importance of dynamically developing the resort infrastructure in the maritime region and implementing the tourist potential of the Caspian Sea coast in full Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov instructed H. Saparliev to elaborate the legal regulations for creating the national tourist zones in Turkmenistan within a short period. The presentation of the first tourist zone – Turkmenbashi town would be made in the littoral time in late July. The President instructed to provide the project with the broad information support on the international level as well. Foreign investments would be attracted to implement the large-scale projects. Turkmenistan would create most favoured nation treatment for the foreign firms and companies willing to invest in the construction projects on the Caspian Sea coast, Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov said.