Last week, the capital hosted the Turkmen-Iranian Business Forum with participation of the heads of Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The President of Turkmenistan welcomed the high guest in front of the “Mizan” Business Center. On behalf of the Iranian people, President Hassan Rouhani presented a modern comfortable “SCANIA” bus (for intercity passenger services) to the Turkmen people. Vice-Premiers, leaders of the two countries’ ministries and sectoral agencies, members of the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Union of Turkmenistan, members of the government delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, representatives of leading Iranian companies, as well as foreign and local mass media gathered in the conference hall of the “Mizan” Business Center. The President of Turkmenistan drew attention of the forum participants to the top-priority tasks set before the two countries – strategic partners. As the head of state noted, joint work of our countries’ businessmen and companies in the industrially developed and high-tech based sectors, has great significance for the interstate cooperation further expansion. At present, numerous projects are being realized in the industrial sector of Turkmenistan, said President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, having noted the availability of bright prospects for development of the fishing industry. Speaking that Turkmenistan gives special consideration to the development of agriculture, the Turkmen leader directed attention of the forum participants to a wide range of possibilities available for interaction in such important areas of the sector as construction of new livestock complexes, introduction of the most advanced technologies in agriculture. I think, our Iranian partners will be also interested in the large-scale programs for development of the fields of science and education, health care, and sport in our country, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said. In his speech, the leader of nation Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov placed a special emphasis on tourism. There are excellent opportunities provided for the partnership in this sector, the head of state underlined, having stressed the availability of necessary conditions for realization of joint projects aimed to increase possibilities of eco- and sport tourism. At present, we are attracting foreign investments for development of this type of tourism, in particular, expansion of the yachting tourism infrastructure in the “Avaza” National Tourist Zone, the President of Turkmenistan said, having invited all interested companies of Iran to participate in another phase of construction of new facilities in the “Avaza”. In his speech, the leader of nation also highlighted the readiness to support projects aimed at developing our country’s domestic energy sector, supplying the population with clean drinking water, organizing medical, educational and information services. At the same time, necessary work will be carried out to raise investment attractiveness of residential housing, the head of Turkmenistan highlighted, having stated that residential buildings (with a total area of 800,000 square meters) will be built in our country in the running year. Focusing attention of the forum participants on successful realization of the National Program for regions’ development of Turkmenistan, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has stressed that today there are many possibilities opening up in this area, given the specific features of each velayat. Large industrial zones are created in velayats. New villages and towns are constructed. Social infrastructure is also developed everywhere in rural areas. Speaking of prospects for interaction in the transport sector, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov noted with satisfaction that the initiative of Turkmenistan on creation of international transport corridors finds much support in the world. In this context, the head of state mentioned such important projects as construction of the Turkmenbashi International Airport, the new airport in Ashgabat city, the “Ashgabat- Turkmenbashi” high-speed highway and other modern facilities, creation of new infrastructure systems in the territory of our country. Opening of the “Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran” railway – a section of the “North-South” steel artery is a spectacular example of cooperation in the transport sphere, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said, having stressed that it would give an opportunity to dramatically increase transit of goods on international routes. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the head of Turkmenistan expressed his sincere gratitude to the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran and all those, who had taken part in the project realization. The leader of nation sorted out the energy sector among prospective areas of interaction, having highlighted the significance of diversified development of the partnership in this direction. In this context, the head of state stated the availability of many possibilities for supplying electric energy from Turkmenistan to the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as to other countries via Iran. As President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov underlined, special consideration is also given to development of the oil and gas and chemical industries of the national economy. In the near future, construction of a gas-to-liquids plant, sodium sulfate- and synthetic detergent-producing plants, a gas chemical complex for production of polyethylene and polypropylene, enterprises producing synthetic crude oil from associated gas, as well as realization of other projects are projected, the head of state said, having invited foreign companies and banks to actively participate in this process. Turkmenistan carries out the large-scale work on diversified export of its energy resources to the world markets, the leader of nation stressed. Giving concrete examples, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov noted that over recent years the second line of the gas pipeline had been built to supply Turkmen natural gas to Iran, three international gas pipelines to China had been constructed. At present, preparations for construction of the fourth line of the gas pipeline are well under way. In perspective, such large projects of regional and international importance as the “Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India” gas pipeline and the trans-Caspian gas pipeline are projected for construction, the head of state said, having invited companies and financial institutions of Iran to participate in the projects. Then, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran addressed his speech to the forum attendees. As President Hassan Rouhani noted, today there are all conditions created for further strengthening the friendly Turkmen-Iranian relations, there are excellent possibilities available for the bilateral cooperation advancement in a number of areas. In this context, the high guest spoke for broadening contacts between the two countries’ Foreign Ministries, as well as in tourism and business. In this connection, accent was placed on the importance of creating conditions for the development of partnership between financial and banking institutions of Turkmenistan and Iran to facilitate the bilateral trade turnover growth, to intensify the interstate interaction that meets mutual interests. Having confirmed the Iranian side’s willingness to contribute in every way possible to further development of the mutually advantageous long-term cooperation with Turkmenistan, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran has noted that our countries are a unique “gateway” to the world markets for each other. In this context, an emphasis was placed on the availability of enormous potential for large-scale international cooperation in the North-South and East-West directions, including through diversification of the transit-transport infrastructure, particularly, of the Oman-Iran-Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan corridor. There are also broad prospects available to significantly increase the freight traffic in the North-South direction and transportation of goods by road. The issues were a topic of detailed discussion at the top-level meeting, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran said, having expressed confidence that the interaction in this area would give tangible results in the near future. Speaking of this, the high-ranking guest stressed the Iranian side’s readiness to put its potential and technologies at the disposal of Turkmenistan in realization of projects in the transport sphere; development of the partnership in the sector would be for the benefits of the two counties. Noting a fruitful character of the bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas sector, President Hassan Rouhani spoke of interest of the Islamic Republic of Iran in broadening the interaction in this sector, as well as in the power industry, including through participation in infrastructure projects. At the same time, the Iranian leader also confirmed the readiness to increase the volumes of electric energy and natural gas purchases from Turkmenistan, to ensure stable transit of Turkmen energy resources to foreign markets via Iran. As one of the key areas of interstate cooperation, the high guest sorted out the health care and medical industry, the sector, in which Iran is ready to share its positive experience with Turkmen partners. The tourist industry was also marked as one of the topical vectors of cooperation. It is justified by the two neighboring countries’ rich historical and cultural heritage. The eminent guest mentioned the interaction in the cultural and humanitarian spheres, in particular, in education and in the field of high technologies, as one of the most significant components of the interstate dialogue. Having wished fruitful work to the forum participants, Presidents Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov and Hassan Rouhani parted with them. In the course of the business meeting, the sides gave consideration to priority trends of the Turkmen-Iranian partnership further expansion in the light of realization of the bilateral agreements reached and long-term plans. In the frames of an interest-based exchange of views, representatives of business circles of the Islamic Republic of Iran expressed their intention to establish mutually beneficial trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation as well as fruitful relations in different sectors. Vectors of further interaction were discussed in the course of bilateral meetings between the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran and representatives of sectoral ministries and departments of Turkmenistan, executives of our country’s Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Union.