On September 4, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov convened a regular session of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan to sum up the running year’s eight-month state-of-the-economy results, give consideration to other important issues of state life, and to sign a number of documents. Moving to the session agenda, the head of state gave the floor to Chairperson of Mejlis of Turkmenistan A. Nurberdyeva to report on the parliament’s activity over the period under review aimed at the national legislation further development, on the outcomes of the trip to the United States on August 28-September 3 to participate in the 10th meeting of women – Heads of Parliaments, and the 4th World Parliamentary Assembly, as well as on the preparations for the Elders’ Council of Turkmenistan meeting to be held in Avaza etrap, the city of Turkmenbashi, on September 10. In the after-report comments, the head of state has emphasized the national parliament’s overriding role in building up the country’s modern legal basis and principles, and great responsibility the parliamentarians are imposed by the trust of their voters. Then the floor was given to Cabinet Deputy Chairman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan R. Meredov to inform about the MFA’s eight-month activity. On the whole, 350 foreign delegations paid visits to Turkmenistan through the Foreign Ministry over the within-said period. At the same time, 581 delegations of our country were sent abroad; 161 international-level events (including conferences, seminars, meetings, and others)were conducted; 158 international documents were signed. During the accounting period, 30 bilateral MFA ministerial consultations, as well as 15 sessions of Joint Inter-parliamentary Commissions were held. The Vice-Premier, MFA Minister also informed about the outcomes of the President-sanctioned working visit to Turkey on August 28-29 to participate in the trilateral meeting of Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and the Republic of Turkey. The meeting was focused on consideration of the issues related to preparations for the first Summit of the three states’ heads to be held in our country in the running year’s autumn. The report also covered the information about the preparations for a working visit of our country’s government delegation led by President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov to the United States of America on September 24-27 to take part in the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Summing up the report, the head of Turkmen state confirmed our country’s invariable commitment to the course towards broad international cooperation, active participation in the world community’s efforts aimed at tackling the today’s topical issues. Next speaker, Cabinet Deputy Chairman B. Hojamammedov, centered his report on the eight-month state-of-the-economy results of the national economy. Thus, in the period under report, the GDP growth rate reached 108.3 percent, testifying to the sustainable progressive development of the national economy. In percentage term, this indicator in the sectors made up: industry – 103.5; construction – 112.6; transport and communications – 111.9; trade – 112.7; agriculture – 112.3; services – 112.3 p c. Over the eight-month period, the growth rate of production output rose to 107.2 p c against last year’s index. Over the January-August period, the retail trade turnover increased by 19.4 percent as compared to the same period of last year; prices for consumer goods and services rendered to the population remained within the fixed limit. Over this year’s eight-month period, an average monthly salary rate increased at all enterprises. Positive dynamics was recorded in the foreign trade turnover, which rose to US $16.2 billion. The report also included information about fulfillment of the plan for foreign currency earnings by ministries and sectoral agencies through export of goods and provision of services. Reporting on the realization course of the country’s national socio-economic development programs, the Vice-Premier informed about the construction paces of large industrial and cultural-purpose facilities. Over the period under report, budgeting for capital needs was 32,8 billion manat. In compliance with the plans of activities stipulated by the revised version of “The National Program of the President of Turkmenistan on improving social conditions of the population of villages, settlements, etrap towns and etrap centers till 2020”, construction of 2 water treatment plants and 51 social purpose objects was completed over the January-August period. Besides, 3.3 billion manat was allotted to fund on the whole construction of 118 objects, engineering and communications facilities, 1,000,000 sq m housing construction. Over the period under review, in the frames of the Main Directions of velayats’ industrial sectors development, construction of 142 objects and facilities was completed; construction of another 166 objects is in progress. According to the eight-month results, the State budget receipts were 100.3 percent implemented, the outlays – 84.7 percent. Over the January-August period, wages, pensions, state social allowances, students’ scholarships were paid on a timely basis. Summarizing the report, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov focused attention of the Vice-Premier on the need to use all the possibilities to sustain steady economic growth rates. Placing accent on the importance of ensuring strict control over of the financial-economic organizations’ activity, the head of state assigned to regularly monitor all the indices of ministries’ and sectoral agencies’ activities. The eight-month outcomes achieved by the sectors she is in charge of, preparations for the events to be held in honor of the holidays, remarkable dates, and inauguration of socio-cultural purpose objects, as well as Culture Days of Turkmenistan in Mongolia were in the focus of the report made by Cabinet Deputy Chairperson M. Yazmuhammedova. As the Vice-Premier informed, over the period under report, the Turkmen State Publishing Service published 237 types of book products. The work on establishing a single electronic library network is in progress; the activity of museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions and mass media organizations is being improved in accordance with present-day requirements and modern technologies. A broad program of cultural events is projected for September. The country’s artistic groups and masters of arts have prepared concert programs devoted to the festive events to be held in Avaza etrap (Turkmenbashi city) on the occasion of inauguration of a number of socio-cultural purpose facilities, as well as on the ceremony of awarding the winners of Turkmenistan’s President Contest –“Türkmeniň Altyn Asyry”, and others. In the report follow-up comments, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov commissioned to hold the upcoming cultural events at a better and higher level in terms of organization and content, and take necessary measures to ensure the spirit-stirring lofty atmosphere of all the festivities and events celebrated in the epoch of power and happiness, make them landmark events in the country’s modern history. The head of state also instructed to ensure high organizational level of Culture Days of Turkmenistan in Mongolia. Reporting on the outcomes of the running year’s eight-month activity of the spheres answerable to him, Cabinet Deputy Chairman E. Orazgeldiev noted that on the whole, the production growth rates, the rates of works and services accomplished in the agro-industrial complex (AIC) had made up 101.4 percent. In particular, as compared to last year’s similar period, the output values of the domestic products increased by: flour – 7.5 p c; macaroni products – 13.4 p c; cucurbitaceous crops – 7.4 p c; grapes – 2 p c; meat products – 17.28 p c; dairy products – 1.9 p c. The plan for budgeting capital need was implemented by 124.4 p c (1,018, 555 thousand manat). The Vice-Premier also centered on the seasonal agri-works ongoing in the country, including the winter wheat sowing and cotton harvesting campaigns. Summing up the report, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov demanded to ensure timely and qualitative conducting of the cotton harvesting and winter crops sowing campaigns, managing other agricultural crops in order to produce rich harvests. Focusing on the ecology-favored aspect of the state policy, the head of state gave the Vice-Premier a number of concrete issue-related commissions. The eight-month work results in the sectors he is responsible for were in the center of the report made by Cabinet Deputy Chairman S. Toilyev. As was reported, 25 (12,124-seat capacity) secondary schools, 15 (2,410-seat total capacity) kindergartens, a new complex of buildings of the A. Kekilov Teachers’ Training School in Ashgabat, as well as children’s 300-seat health center in Lebap velayat were ceremoniously opened in our country this year. 191 types of textbooks and teaching aids were prepared for publication, 118 of them have already been published. During this period of time, the talented Turkmen schoolchildren won 132 medals, including: 45 – gold, 50 – silver and 37 – bronze ones, at the International Subject Olympiads, in the projects and Internet-based contests. Our students also successfully performed in the international intellectual contests, having won 109 medals: 20 – gold, 44 – silver, 45 – bronze. In the new academic year, 7,128 and 8,342 students have been admitted to the country’s higher education institutions and secondary vocational schools respectively. Over the period under review, the growth rate of earnings from state voluntary medical insurance made up 115 percent, from the services rendered and sales of products – 114 percent. As for foreign currency earnings, the indicator amounted to 102 percent; production of medicaments – 142 percent. As was reported, the hospitality services were provided to 69,412 tourists (the growth rate made up 106.6 percent). The growth of total earnings from the financial and economic activities of the State Tourism Committee of Turkmenistan reached 111.8 percent; currency receipts – 101.3 percent. Turkmen sportsmen participated in 116 international competitions, having won 244 medals: 87 – gold, 57 – silver, 100 – bronze, over the eight-month period. In the frames of the report, the Vice-Premier submitted for consideration by the head of state a draft Ukase on celebrating Kurban Bairamy Holiday (to be marked on September 24-26 this year) and a draft Decree on delegating 188 pilgrims on a hajj from our country to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in September 8-28. Having signed the Ukase “On celebrating Kurban Bairamy Holiday”, the President of Turkmenistan has emphasized that the age-old traditions of that God-blessed holiday testify to the inviolability of the Turkmen people’s spiritual values based on the ideals of peace, humanism, mercy and kindness. After signing the Decree on delegating 188 Turkmen pilgrims – representatives of the capital and all velayats of the country – on a hajj to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the nation’s leader commissioned to ensure timely tackling of all organizational and other hajj-related issues. In turn, Cabinet Deputy Chairman B. Hojamuhammedov reported on the eight-month outcomes of the activities in the country’s fuel and energy complex. As compared to the same period of last year, the production growth rates made up in percentage terms: petroleum and gas condensate – 106.9; drilling operations – 132.2; investments expended – 145 p c. The technical-economic indicators achieved in the natural and associated gas production, in processing of crude hydrocarbons and production of oil products, as well as the ongoing work on gas meters installation in the enterprises, institutions, organizations, and in the housing sector were in the center of the report as well. Having stressed the importance of taking necessary steps to increase the output of high-quality products in the industry, especially of export-oriented goods, the head of state addressed the Vice-Premier concrete issue-associated assignments. Then Cabinet Deputy Chairman B. Ereshov concentrated his report on the running year’s eight-month activity of the supervised institutions of the national economy’s industrial sector. Thus, as for the Ministry of Industry of Turkmenistan, the production output value totaled 121.5 percent of the targeted value; the growth rate reached 114.2 percent. Particularly, the upward indicators were registered in production of cement – 105.8 p c; non-metallic building materials – 131.8 p c; claydite and reinforced concrete structure – 113.3 p c and 106.9 p c respectively. The Ministry of Textile Industry fulfilled its production plan by 110.3 p c, the output value rose to 101.9 p c. In particular, the production growth rates were identified in: cotton yarn and fabrics – 101.1 p c and 110.0 p c respectively; garments and knitwear – 107.0 p c; silk fabric – 101.5 p c.; footwear – 100.1 percent. The output value of the “Turkmenhaly” State Association totaled 110.4 p c; the growth rates made up 108.7 p c. Over the eight months of 2015, the sectoral enterprises produced 29,000 sq m of carpet products; the growth rate was 102.5 p c. The period under report was marked by the priority growth rates in the enterprises of the “Turkmenhimiya” State Concern. Thus, the total production growth rate made up 221.5 p c, including production of mineral fertilizers – 216 p c; technical iodine and technical carbon – 100 p c and 103.5 p c respectively; sodium sulfate – 120 p c. As for the State Fishery Committee of Turkmenistan, the growth rate of production output reached 174.3 percent; the indices of fish processing and canned fish products made up 154.3 p c. After the report, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has highlighted that one of the main objectives of the state industrial policy is to build up modern plants for the production of high-quality, ecologically safe products based on the use of the country’s rich raw material resources, and to ensure their competitiveness. Drawing attention of the Vice-Premier to the necessity of maintaining high production and performance rates in the industry, the head of state gave a number of issue-related commissions. The report of Cabinet Deputy Chairman S. Satlykov was centered on the outcomes of the running year’s January-August activity of the transport and communications sector. As the Vice-Premier informed, on the whole, the transport-communications complex had fulfilled its plan for the works accomplished and services rendered by 118.6 p c; and the growth rate had made up 119.3 p c. The growth rate of works accomplished by the Ministry of Railway Transport reached 126.3 p c. The indicator in the field of passenger transportation totaled 100.6 p c. As for the Ministry of Motor Transport, the growth rate of services provided was 125 p c. This index made up 101.7 p c in the cargo transportation sector and 101.4 p c in the field of passenger handling. Over the January-August period, the growth rate of works performed by the Ministry of Communications reached 105.9 p c. To meet the demand for communications services, 407,000 telephone numbers, including 381,000 cellular numbers, 6,000 radio telephone, and 20,000 fixed-line telephone numbers were provided in the country; the target output was 2.5 times as much overfulfilled. Telephone stations (1,544 telephone numbers) were installed; 1,490 kilometers of telecommunication networks were built up in the framework of the National Rural Development Program. The growth rates of air services rendered by the “Turkmenhovayollary” State National Service reached 114.4 percent (passenger handling -100.1 p c and 101.1 – cargo transportation). As for the State Sea and River Transport Service, the growth dynamics of works accomplished made up 130.3 percent. The indicator totaled 101 p c and 142 p c in the fields of goods and passenger transportation respectively. Commenting on the report, the nation’s leader Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov stressed the necessity of making the most of modern facilities and equipment to further improve the performance of sectoral enterprises. Speaking of the ever-growing role of modern communications systems in developing the national economy, the head of state has underlined the importance of steady introduction of new technologies, exchange of experience and useful innovative developments with foreign partners. The report of Cabinet Deputy Chairman Sh. Durdylyev was an extensive coverage of the January-August activity of the ministries and agencies answerable to him. As the Vice-Premier informed, the plan for works performed and services rendered by the Ministry of Construction and Architecture of Turkmenistan was executed by 123 p c; the growth rate made up 115.2 p c. The production growth rates, the rates of works accomplished and services rendered by the Ministry of Energy totaled 136.5 p c (the growth rate made up 129.5 p c). This indicator for electric power production was 101.8 p c. According to the Ministry of Municipal Economy of Turkmenistan, the growth rates of works performed and services rendered totaled 112 percent. As for the “Turkmenavtoyollary” State Concern, this indicator reached 114.3 percent; the rate of growth made up 106.5 percent. Over the January-August period of 2015, budgeting for capital needs in Ashgabat at the expense of the existing financial sources reached 127.9 percent. The Vice-Premier informed about the ongoing work on phased road reconstruction and construction, and the measures undertaken aimed at the capital’s improvement. The report also included also information about the International Exhibition and Scientific Conference “Main directions of Turkmenistan’s energy industry development” to be held on September 12-13. The specialized forum is to showcase the panorama of significant achievements and prospects for the Turkmenistan’s power industry advancement. The Vice-Premier also reported on the preparations for the ceremonious launching of the 504.4-MW gas-turbine power plant in Derveze etrap (Akhal velayat), and 500-kV suspended power transmission line - from the Mary State Power Plant to the “Atamyrat” substation and complex of substations. As was reported, to step up power exports in the eastern direction, the power generating units at the Mary State Power Plant had been renovated, and 500-kV power transmission line was built from the Mary Power Plant to the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan border. In the report follow-up comments, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has emphasized that the state creates all necessary conditions for bringing the country’s construction sector up to a new level of development through investing in large sectoral projects. Focusing on the issues of commissioning the additional power-generating facilities of the industry, the President of Turkmenistan has noted our country’s invariable position towards neighboring Afghanistan, which is proved by the practical assistance to the fraternal Afghan peoples in building peaceful and happy life, restoring socio-economic infrastructure of the country. Then Cabinet Deputy Chairman, Chief Manager of the Presidential and Cabinet Administration Office P. Taganov delivered a report on the eight-month activity of the institutions he is in charge of. As for the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Affairs, the growth rate of trade turnover reached 114.5 p c (including retail trade turnover – 106. 3 p c; wholesale trade turnover – 118.6 p c) in comparison with the similar period of 2014. The growth rate of profits earned by the Ministry’s enterprises made up 100.6 p c. The volume of investments assimilated by the Ministry totaled 145.3 p c. Over the running year’s January-August period, 167 transactions were registered at the State Commodities and Raw Materials Exchange. During this period of time, 14, 336 contracts were made; import-export contracts amounted to 11,740,400 thousand manat; total value of construction contracts was 21,452,800 thousand manat; the growth rates of foreign currency earnings made up 100.5 percent. On the whole, the revenues earned by the Exchange in the period under review were 81, 58 million manat. The profit plan was 118.8 percent implemented. The services rendered by Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan are valued as 10. 3 million manat (the growth rate made up 110.6 percent). The volume of foreign currency earnings from services was 116.8 percent. Over the period under report, 17 exhibitions and 17 conferences were organized. The industrial goods produced by the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Union of Turkmenistan are valued as 283. 6 million manat; agricultural products – 402, 9 million manat. In percentage terms, the indicator increased by 20.6 and 3.1 respectively. The growth rate of assembly works accomplished made up 100.9 percent. The index of trade turnover reached 124 percent; services – 128.6 percent. The report also covered information about fulfillment of the earlier presidential assignment on ordering and streamlining the activity of the trade sector. By the instruction of the head of state, the advisability of raising customs duties on some types of goods (imported into and exported from Turkmenistan) had been studied. After considering the results, a draft Resolution had been prepared. The list contains 6 food stuffs, including sausage, fruit and vegetables products, fruit juices, and others. On the whole, having approved the within-said document, the head of state has highlighted that the decision is aimed to further encourage domestic producers, to protect their interests and raise competitiveness of domestic products. Having signed the relevant Resolution, the nation’s leader assigned the Vice-Premier to exercise control over its implementation. Summing up the outcomes of the Cabinet session, the President of Turkmenistan has stated that despite some shortcomings, on the whole, the eight-month state-of-the-economy results testify to successful realization of all the programs aimed at providing quality-of-life improvements to the people, industrialization of the national economy through its diversification. In conclusion, the nation’s leader has outlined a number of priority short-term objectives. Some other issues of state life were considered at the Cabinet session, and the appropriate resolutions were adopted.