Turkmenistan and Austria sign cooperation deals

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Austrian President Heinz Fischer have met in Ashkhabad today, Turkmen media report.

The sides signed deals in energy, air transport, cooperation of Foreign Ministries and Trade and Industry Chambers. They discussed foreign policy and bilateral partnership. A business forum will be held in Ashkhabad.

During the previous talks the presidents talked on the need to activate consultations in export-import operations, expansion of goods’ range, search for new cooperation opportunities.

Austrian companies are realizing over 20 Turkmen projects in construction and reconstruction of national economy, exploration and extraction of hydro carbons. Some of the priority projects involve the fuel and energy complex, alternate energy, trade, tourism, communications, construction, medical equipment, pharmaceutics, food industry.

Such companies as Agrosolution, Bertsh-Laska Productions und Handels, Golden Age, Unger Stahlbau, MBM, Industry Und Financeholding Aktiengeselshtaf, Cybermed and others are studying the Turkmen market.

Austria is especially interested in Turkmen gas. Fischer arrived in the region to lobby the Nabucco gas pipeline project.

Relations with Turkmenistan were boosted during the visit of President Berdimuhamedov to Vienne in autumn 2008. They formed ties in November 1992.